WOOD: Stick around for summer fun
By AMBER WOOD, What's Going On
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One cup of sugar, two tablespoons of lemon juice and a pound of brown sugar. What does that make? One sticky mess!
It reminds me of the weather outside — wet and sticky.
Here we are at the cusp of August and the state flower is starting to bloom now through September. The sight of sunflowers in a large field or even in a single row is quite amazing.
I’ll admit I had never seen a sunflower up close until I moved here and planted them. Their beauty is not only appreciated by state residents but also captured the creative imagination of Vincent Van Gogh who painted a series of these colorful gems.
The sunflower has taken on a rather vogue image lately, and we are lucky to have it as our very own. At the visitors’ center, from time to time, we have people asking where the sunflowers are and apart from taking them to my backyard to show them mine, some other directions are in order.
But more than we appreciate sunflowers, we can appreciate what we have in our own town. As the summer wind blows and the last few gasps of the busy season pass, now is a good time to take a break from getting the kids back to school or for any gal needing a day off.
Plan a day of fun for yourself or some girlfriends in Ottawa. Start the day off right by getting some good deals on summer closeouts or stock up on fall fashion at Maurice’s, 615 E. 23rd St., and Goody’s, 2204 S. Princeton Circle Drive. Once you’re outfitted, head to downtown and get a massage at Capelli Salon and Day Spa, 314 1/2 S. Main St., and get your nails done at Ann’s Nails, 107 E. Second St., or the many salons in the area. Keep the summer glow on you by stopping in at the recently opened tanning salon, Sun Studio, 119 S. Main St.
By afternoon, you might be hungry so stop in at Potter’s Wheel Coffee House, 205 S. Main St., or Market Café inside Market Antiques, 503 N. Main St., and have a great light lunch followed by some impromptu shopping for some shabby-chic items.
If antiquing is your flair, stop in at the Visitors Center, 2011 E. Logan St., or go to our Web site, www.visitottawakansas.com , for an antiques shopping guide to all the shops in the area.
It’s not time to go home yet because there is still much to do.
Stop in at Pome on the Range, 2050 Idaho Road, Williamsburg, and taste its wine selections and take one home. A great accompaniment to this is some Alma cheese and crackers for an afternoon snack, also available at Pome.
Spend the day relaxing and reenergizing your chi and unwind like the busy summer is doing also.
For those not interested in spas and wines, we have plenty more in stock for you this weekend. Start your Saturday off right with a big breakfast with the Friends of Princeton for their biscuits and gravy breakfast and bake sale from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Princeton Community Building. If you have questions about the event, please call Wilma at (785) 937-2805.
Don’t forget the farmer’s market is open till noon Saturday in the Orschlen’s parking lot, 2008 S. Princeton St.
Today also marks the beginning of the 116th Lane Fair in, of all places, Lane. The three-day fest (this evening until Saturday) is full of events for kids ages 1 to 101 and then some.
Thursday is off and running with entries for exhibits for everything from food to flowers to sewing to arts and crafts and a whole steamer trunk more.
Got a talented tot? Get them in the talent show, and let them shine like the star they are and win a first, second or third place prize.
Friday starts off with an all-you-can-eat breakfast preceding the Osa-Lane quilt show. That evening buy some ice cream to enjoy as the parade goes by. Stick around like gum on your shoe for the evenings’ entertainment, The Bill Duling Show. Each evening of the fair will conclude with a free drawing. Who doesn’t like a free drawing? Well, if you saw the way I draw you probably wouldn’t want it. Oh wait, not that kind of drawing.
Saturday is a packed day with another all-you-can-eat breakfast, a horse show, greased pig contest, kids games and ... (drum roll please) a three-man basketball tournament. Stay tuned afterward for the horseshoe pitching contest, kids pedal tractor pull and the cherry pie baking contest.
Watch out! Three times during the day there will be gunfighters. Does that mean they throw their guns at each other? Probably not, but you should go and check it out just to make sure because that would be unique.
That afternoon will include a pony pull, trunk and quilt show and more music entertainment. A full list of the event with times is available on our Web site at www.visitottawakansas.com .
Amber Wood is marketing and events director for the Franklin County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
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