Whirl Wind of Activity

My home/office is a whirlwind of activity as Wild West Weekend approaches. We are only a week and 1/2 away and details, details, details have to be attended to.
Monday night Darlene and I hits the streets and started decorating at P&L Market promoting the Pig Scramble and Bob's Variety promoting the 2nd Annual Hot Dog eating contest.

Once done there, we went to the Fossa Building (DRDC's new main street entity) and starting covering the windows with information.
I haven't written backwards since I was in High School! It isn't as easy as it looks:)
In fact, try writing backwards and spell right at the same time. Brought a lot of laughs when we went outside and started reading......

Last night, we had a special DRDC meeting at the DeMuth Building where we are setting up WWW Headquarters. Dave Pearson and Darlene "wrote" all over the windows there doing a great job!!!
We have lots of new exciting things for Wild West this year: Maine Military Revolver Raffle, DRHS Field Hockey Maine Chicken BBQ, DRHS Music Boosters Horse Shoe Tournament, Worst Boot Contest, Stick Pony Rodeo, Baby Picture Contest, to name a few.
Also something new, Ray Stafford Show is performing during the Cruz In Saturday night.

And something to remember; all these people who either sponsor contests or perform are all doing it for free!!!!! Amazing isn't it?
Stop by our website at WildWestWeekend.com for times, locations, etc. We are updating many times a day, right up until the event.


Well signing off..... Hope to see you at the Egg Festival this week. Stop by and say hi or a wave; I am the announcer and in the Main Office at Manson Park during the Kiwanis Karnaval.

Flowers and stuff

Thought I would give you an update on the downtown Dexter flowers.
You may see my Dad (Dana) and Marilyn in the evenings on Main Street watering the 14 flower barrels, 8 pots that are on the benches and the Town Office Gardens. They fill their old white car trunk with milk jugs and start at one end of the street and end up on the other.
They refill the jugs every so often with the hose by the Town Office.... PHEW! they do a great job! If you are ever down there, stop by and lend a hand.
Darlene and I loaded up our pickups at the Snap of the Dragon on the Dexter/Corinna Road and went to work on the Main Street flowers for almost 4 hours last night. We went thru and dead headed, replanted some, snipped and fertilized.
When we planted everything in May, we tried using new and different things, BUT the big thing is drought tolerant plants. Those barrels on the hot top just suck up any moisture and need more water than you can image. Last year we tried a new thing by putting "pampers" in the bottom of the barrels..... The baby diapers are designed to retain water, so it seemed a logical plan. Actually worked pretty good, but watering is still an almost daily project.

After Darlene and I finished Main Street, he headed our (2) pickups down to Wayside Park. Wayside is such a nice park. The stream is babbling in the background, the Gazebo is so nice, the magical Covered Bridge and of course those nice tables that Mike and the highway department built a few winters ago. If you haven't stop down there for a concert in the park or during Wild West, pack a picnic and a game and stop and and enjoy.

So anyway, Darlene and I cut back the Bleeding Heart and put in a bunch of annuals Darlene donated from her nursery Snap of the Dragon. By the way, all this work is done for free!
The town supplies us with $1500 for the year for supplies, (most of which we don't use, except this year.... I got 15 new barrels for next year and that took a big hunk out of the budget)
All the free labor is a labor of love for our community.
I hope you enjoy the new flowers, and if you ever have a chance or have time and would do some watering, please (did I say please?) give me a call at 924.3067.
C ya during Wild West Weekend!!!!

North Country Riding Club

Have you ever been to a horse show?
Well if you have and miss it, or always wanted to, please stop by on Sunday, August 5th for our largest show of the season, the Wild West Weekend Equitation Show!
This season, we are seeing an amazing number of riders/horses and an amazing increase in talent, especially with the younger riders.
The June show had over 60 registered riders if I remember right, but the July show brought approx. 70 registered riders/horses. HOLY HANNA!
Long day, but what a nice show.

So stop on by and see up...... and it is free for the spectators!!! the day starts out at 8:30 am with a terrific version of the Star Spangle Banner by brother/sister duo Thomas and Crystal Clukey playing their trumpets..... Brings tears to your eyes!

There will be food available and some vendors to shop! The western classes will be in the morning this show with English in the afternoon.

Stop by our NCRC website to see pictures of past shows and past years.
Judy: NCRC Media Correspondent

Busy Summer

Sorry it is taking so long to write, but things have been wicked busy.
Wild West Weekend is only 2½ weeks away and so many things to do!
I am so impressed with the ideas that people have!

New this year is WWW Horseshoe Tournament sponsored by the Dexter Regional Music Boosters. It will be held on Saturday, Aug. 04th.
Lots of music is lined up for Wayside Park on both Friday and Saturday thanks to Jim and Donna Lee Palmer and LOTS of musicians playing for free! Donna Lee is amazing. She schedules all these musicians over the 2 day period and that is no easy feat. Bring your lawnchair down to Wayside and enjoy some great entertainment.

Debbie Myers will be performing again on Renys Concert Stage on Friday night from 6 to 9 pm, with the 5th Annual Costume Contest being held right before at 5 pm.

There is a slight change on Main Street closings which cause some realignment of activities and placement of vendors/displays, but a compromise was met and on we go. (check out the website for actual times).

Not new, but bigger is the car show on Saturday night. There are many car groups being invited (they expect over 100 if the weather is good) and awards will be presented that night, instead of at the Egg Festival as in the past, appropriate music will be playing and food vendors still open.

Speaking of the Egg Festival, it is the weekend before Wild West. Stop by and say hi! I am the announcer/go to person in the office at Manson Park on Wednesday thru Saturday. Lots of fun!

Back to Wild West: The firemen are still having their auction, First Free Baptist Church is still hosting the Wild West Olympics down at Wayside in front of Chia Apartments, P&L Market Pig Scramble, Maine Choice Realty Skillet Toss, Varney Agency Kiddie Parade on Friday, Ride In to Dexter Health Care, 2 different scavenger hunts and on and on......

I would like to personally invite you to Wild West Weekend on August 3rd, 4th, 5th for a fun filled weekend with something for everyone, including an amazing array of food. Not only can you grab a bite to eat at the Vendors at Vendor Alley on Lower Main Street, but also many of our local eatery's have "Wild West" specials.
Please check out our website as we add things daily and I will try to journal my journey for the next few weeks.
Maybe if I do that, I can keep myself more organized...... one can only hope!!!!