Revamped Duck Inn reopens its doors

GOT SUMMER--Everyone was happy to see the sun come out last week. It almost got a bit warm for me, but hey, it was nice to have dry for a change. Sunday morning saw us with some cloud cover though, so while it was dry, we didn't have that sunshine to perk us up first thing in the morning but at least it showed up by noon and we enjoyed another beautiful day.

SPECIAL DAYS--Those celebrating birthdays from July 12-18 are Samantha McClain, Justin Perkins, Megan Miller, Marietta Montgomery, Jerry Ledtke, Sharrel Mooers, Jamie Kincaid, Cameron Havens, Zoe Roper, Marsha Cleveland, MaryAnn Nelson, Cameron Mendez, Samantha Wright, Rocky Rose, Denise Parker, Randi Curtis, Janelle Seaberg, Rose Jameson, Mary Schroder, Gerald Olson, Dan Cochran, 67'er Sharon McKie and grandsons, Blake and Kyle Sechler.

Happy Anniversary wishes go out to Mr. and Mrs. Gary Huber, and Mr. and Mrs. Rocky Rose. Belated anniversary wishes to Skip and Vicky Irving who celebrated 38 years together last Friday.

FAIR SALE/PASSES--Currently there are three-day fair passes available at several local businesses for your convenience, and at only $6, they are a super bargain. You can pick yours up at the following: Skamokawa Resort's general store, Sharon's Pizza and More, Cathlamet Pharmacy, and the Bank of the Pacific in Cathlamet or Naselle. Check out the fair book and look at all the things to do and all the entertainment that will be coming our way, which you will be able to enjoy with that one little $6 purchase, a terrific deal!

The T-building at the fair has been open on Saturdays for their large rummage and book sale and I mean lots and lots of books! This is a great place to get them for those long, dark winter nights ahead of us, and so I would urge you to come down and take a look, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., as there's every topic available I believe and you can't beat the price of them either!

THIS SATURDAY--The Horsemanship Challenge Series will continue with the second part of the three part series at the Wahkiakum County Fairgrounds this Saturday. Registration will take place from 8 to 8:45 a.m. with the actual event starting at 9 a.m. There will be lots of horses and lots of action as the kids vie for the coveted prizes, which are three saddles this year; quite a great prize for the lucky winners. Those will be decided at the last series, which takes place on the last day of the Wahkiakum Fair, Aug. 18th. For more information on this event, you can contact Tina Merz at 360-957-5368 or Becky Ledtke at 360-560-0371 or leave a message at the fair office at 795-3480.

NEXT WEEK--Bald Eagle Days are coming up a week from this Saturday, so I hope you are headed our way for a wonderful weekend of food, fun, friends and fabulous fireworks. They are awesome! With a multitude of vendors, a terrific parade and the marina full of activities as well, it will be a great weekend.

DUCK INN'S GRAND OPENING--Arlene Jester, with nephew Logan Britt beside her, cut the ribbon in front of the new Duck Inn restaurant and lounge last Friday evening, as the new business was officially opened and welcomed into the community with snacks and goodies for all who showed up. Sugar Lilies of Cathlamet provided the desserts and I have to tell you, those raspberry filled vanilla cupcakes, topped with pink icing, were just to die for. Good job, Janelle! We hope everyone will continue to support our local businesses and remember to be respectful of our new surroundings as a lot of money went into making this a beautiful place and we want to keep it looking that way!

VENDOR'S MARKET--I hope you've marked July 28 on your calendars, as that's the day to head to Skamokawa Vista Park where they'll be over 20 vendors to sell you goodies to eat there, and great stuff to take home as well. You can help support some of the groups by buying a ticket for their raffles, and you could wind up winning a great prize when drawing time arrives, like a cord of wood, or a great coffee basket or the Skamokawa Grange's basket that will be worth around $300 by the time all the gifts included in it are added up, so that will be pretty awesome for that lucky winner! There'll be pie in the park when Kathleen Morgain presents her homemade pies at her booth, and Carol Carver will be featuring her homemade canned jams, jellies and kraut and more, so those would make some great treats for yourself, or for a friend. Sugar Lilies with Janelle West will be there and will be serving up their pulled pork sandwiches, along with some ice cream and more, so that is a nice addition this year. If you're in the mood for your hot dog and burger fix, well, then the Assembly of God Church will be there to furnish those for you. Many others will be there to sell their arts and crafts, and you'll be able to see a forge in action as Michael Neely will be showing off his blacksmithing skills and have various things for sale so there's going to be a wide variety of things for you to look at while you're enjoying our beautiful jewel on the Columbia, Vista Park! We'll be setting up from 9 to 10 a.m. and then be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m Hope to see you there! More info? Call me at 795-3425.

RUMMAGE SALE--The Skamokawa United Methodist Church will have their rummage sale during the Vendor's Market hours on July 28. They will have many terrific items for you to browse through. If you'd like to donate something or find out more about it or host a table, call Carol McClain at 795-3337.

REUNION IS COMING SOON--Susan McClain Kuhn says she's receiving more RSVPs for the upcoming all school reunion that will take place in just a little over three weeks from now. If you don't have yours in, it doesn't mean you can't attend; we were just trying to get a head count in order to know how much food was needed. Feel free to continue to send those into Susan, or show up August 4 and take part in the fun with your former classmates. It should be super fun, with a great noon to 5 p.m. gathering and gabfest over lunch at the Elementary and Middle Schools, and then that evening, you can go to the Norse Hall and for a $5 donation, you can enjoy the music and do a little singing and dancing and more talking, thanks to Wayne Gross. Fun, fun, fun!

FOLLIES RECAP--The Fifth Annual Smoky Water Follies seemed to be thoroughly enjoyed by all that attended and of course, the Skamokawa Grangers are truly grateful for all the wonderful entertainers who volunteered to help us out and make this fund raiser a success, as well as to all of you who showed up to watch it and support us. It goes without saying that we couldn't do this without our leaders as Adele Baker-Swift is just fantastic at getting this put together along with Sunrise Fletcher, so we've really appreciated all their hard work and dedication to this annual fund raiser during the past five years.

We were delighted to have several new people with us this year, as Opal Whitaker, Cattral Patterson and Emily and Hannah Saari were wonderful additions to our cast. We enjoyed our other seasoned young performers as well, as Nanea Carroll, Tanner Collupy, Reuben Patterson and seven children of the Viktor Goldinov family are always enjoyable to have onboard. The Harmony Hearts consisted of Pam Emery, Kathleen Morgain, Gwen Gorley and Christine-Payne Towler, while the men's quartet, dubbed Three Beards and a Barber consisted of Sunrise Fletcher, Steve Puddicombe, Gilbert Vik and Larry Hendrickson and they are wonderful to listen to with their well blended voices. Chris and Deborah Oschner, Mike Linn, Frank Loomans, Jon Peterson and myself rounded out the cast, and the band consisting of Fern Fey, Sheran Parker, Jeffrey Reyolds, Ginger Schmitz, Gwen Gorley and Sunrise did a great job of accompanying us. Once again, thanks for your support!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED--I got a call from Carol Geil and she's looking for volunteers for part of an event she's involved with on September 1 and 2. People are needed to take tickets, park cars and possibly serve food, etc. so if you have a few hours to spare and would like to help her out, give me a call and I'll get you hooked up with her and she can tell you all about it!

CHANCE ENCOUNTER--Scott Pedersen was traveling through the Dalles recently when he spied a familiar looking truck. It just happened to be the Antique Archealogy truck that the American Pickers stars, Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz drive around in and find great places to pick and then buy and sell them at their stores, in either Iowa or now also, in Nashville, Tenn. Many of us watch the antics of Mike and Frank on the History Channel regularly as they travel across the states making unique finds in the most odd places. It was neat that Scott ran into them there, and even neater yet was that Scott's son was able to have his picture taken with Mike Wolfe, who was traveling with his brother at the time and not Frank. At any rate, this goes under the "I met a star" category and will be a great story to tell in years to come.