Laurelville Old Time Fireman's Festival

TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY - 86th Annual Fireman's Old Time Festival in Laurelville; entertainment, rides, fish fry, parade all in the streets of Laurelville

FRIDAY - Talent Show at 5:30pm; Black Water Run bluegrass band at 8pm; midway opens at 6:30pm.

SATURDAY - baby contest at 10am; kid's big wheel race at noon; midway "matinee" from 1 to 5pm - all rides are one price; Queen's Tea at 3pm; Adelphi Community Band at 4:30pm; Grand Parade at 6pm; Ohio's most expensive cake auction at 9pm; square dancing at 9:45pm; Rt 56 & 180 in Laurelville.

We love the fish fry and will visit for multiple meals. And the local church ladies have a pie booth with the best pies ever. Buy by the slice or a whole pie.

Power OUT 2009

Like most of Hocking County, we lost power on Wednesday, January 28. While others came back on line day by day, our power was not restored until Monday, February 2 (by which time the damn groundhog had seen his shadow). We were pretty well able to deal with the loss of electric heat with our various woodburning appliances, a dependable kerosene heater, and propane gas stoves, but the lack of water - you need electricity to run the well pump - was the most difficult to handle. Especially when you're trying to keep horses and goats watered. By Sunday, I was scooping water out of our creek, and trying NOT to worry about what our neighbors upstream were putting in.

So we survived, and kept very busy. In addition to all the fire-stoking and water carrying, we worked a puzzle, read a lot more than usual, and went out to breakfast and dinner every day but one. Fortunately, Laurelville had power so everything was open, except one day the library was closed. We're grateful to the Ridge Inn for its excellent free wireless network (and we discovered their fabulous croissant french toast) and to the Village Cafe for filling our water carriers and for their tasty home fries.

But we've decided we are going to get a generator!

Treats at the Apple House & Thornybrook Farms

The Apple House in Laurelville, on Route 56 in the village, has great apples, but is also offering apple slushies and parched corn. We haven't tried them yet, but recent guests told us they are quite tasty.

About 4 miles east of Laurelville on Route 56, Thornybrook Farms has pumpkins, gourds, mums & other plants, delicious homemade cinnamon buns, apple dumplings and bread. They aren't open every day, but usually Friday-Sunday.