Today is our 45th wedding anniversary. That is a really long time. We are both amazed, and grateful. We know so few people who stay together this many years and others who don't live long enough to celebrate 45 years of marriage. It just keeps getting better. Because of our lifestyle, we are celebrating 45 in Virginia and we celebrated 44 in Colorado, 43 in Oregon, 42 in Missouri, 41 in Kansas, 40 in Texas and 39 in Alberta. Today I went somewhere with my best friend. We did something we always enjoy: visiting a local festival, the Ashland Strawberry Faire. 
It is strawberry harvest time here. Guess what we're having for dessert tonight!
The faire is held on the campus of Randolph-Macon College, the oldest Methodist college in the country, founded in 1830. It is a one-day event and it was packed with people shopping for plants, crafts, food and, of course, strawberries--fresh, in shortcake and in smoothies. After we looked at all the booths, we bought lunch--BBQ pork sandwich for John and beef gyro for me. I skipped the fried Oreos for dessert--mainly because I couldn't find the booth when I finished the gyro. This was one of the most unusual booths we saw. It is used as house plant fertilizer.
A couple of vendors were selling walking sticks. There were particularly fine.
This fellow had a message to share.
John talked to the people in the St. Andrew's Society booth.
These lawn ornaments were for sale.
We came home shortly after noon. The temperature was inching toward the predicted high of 95, which is supposed to feel like 100. So we decided to hunker down under our one air conditioner.
Yesterday, as we were driving home from a hike, we passed this sign.
I couldn't read everything on the sign, so I wondered what kind of oil they were talking about--a new oil well? A short distance down the road we spotted this sign.
Last week, while working in the visitor center at the Ruins, a woman asked me how to get to Queen Creek from Coolidge. She wanted to take her visitors to the olive mill there. So, now I knew what kind of oil they were talking about! We turned around to check out the mill.I often use olive oil in cooking, but I really don't like eating olives. Obviously, lots of people do, not just my husband. The restaurant and store at the Olive Mill were packed. They sell oodles of foods made from olives and olive oil. Since our truck was full of groceries, we made a quick tour of the store, then left. They even have outdoor restaurant seating in the olive grove.
Earlier in the day we hiked the Goldmine Trail at San Tan Mountain Regional Park. We had last been there on New Year's Day. Since then, we have had lots of rain. You can really see the green coming out.
