Discover Buffalo 2015: 30 Hours in Buffalo, Part 1

(Because I’m sure this won’t be the only time this happens this summer!)

From last Friday (July 17) at 3 p.m. to Saturday (July 18) at 9 p.m., I felt like I didn’t sleep – THAT is what summer in Buffalo is all about!

It all started at the Eastern Hills Mall, where the Snap-On Road Show was getting set up throughout the day – Mom, Dad and I went there around 3 p.m. to see the goodies (for me – the OCC chopper and Cruz Pedregon’s Funny Car, for Dad – the chopper and the tool boxes, Mom…well, she was along for the ride – and to make sure Dad didn’t buy anything!).

After a quick bite to eat, I headed up to Main-Transit Fire Dept. (Dad was already there) for their annual Firematic Tournament, which is a lot of fun if you’ve never seen one.

On Saturday, we got the Ponies and a race car ready and headed to East Amherst Fire Dept. for the Man Up! Car and Bike Show, and Mom and I hit the Village of Williamsville Garden Walk (this happened while Dad and the team were up at the car show with the cars!). I then headed back to the car show to bring one of the cars home (the other two left so they could get to the race track for practice!).

Saturday night, I headed to Lancaster Speedway for Autograph Night, 4-Cylinders and Sportsman, plus the Big 10 Super Stocks and Late Models – by 9 p.m. (when the 4-Cylinders ended), I was beat!

I could’ve added one or two more things to Sunday, but a girl has to stop somewhere! There’s always next weekend, anyway!

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com.

Discover Buffalo 2015: Man Up! Car and Bike Show – July 18th, 2015

The fifth annual Man Up! Car and Bike Show took place on Saturday, July 18^th at East Amherst Fire Dept. on Transit Rd., featuring a record 172 cars and bikes for a great cause – read more about it here in last year’s piece.

"Richie"

Team 49 in  the house!

"Sally"

After “Richie” won last year, we hoped “Sally” would get a prize this year – and she did :) We also had a new addition to the corral – Dad entered one of the Team 49 4-cylinders.

Sky #1 - torture!

Sky #2 - because one wasn't enough to torture me!

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Race of Champions at Holland Motorsports Complex – July 11th, 2015

The Race of Champions Asphalt Modified Tour came to Holland Motorsports Complex on Saturday, July 11^th for a 100-lap event, and as a long-time racing fan, I have to honestly say it wasn’t one of the better shows I had been to.

One thing that has to be taken into account for an event like this is time, and that was the biggest thing they seemed to have forgotten. Starting a 100-lap Modified event at 10 p.m. when your track curfew is 11 p.m. isn’t smart. Neither is having a “10 minute autograph session” that goes closer to 30 when you know about the curfew.

Something (someone) else that wasn’t smart – the “roving reporter,” who was constantly referring to drivers by the wrong names during face-to-face interviews – that’s unacceptable.

A smarter move would have been to start the Mods show at 8:30 p.m. and continue the other classes at the conclusion, or just have fewer classes (there were four support classes). Another smart move – give the roving reporter a cheat sheet of names and car numbers so as to avoid looking like a fool.

The racing itself was pretty good – the Mods are always fun to watch, and the Chargers race got a little dicey at the end (especially when the driver who was wronged went after the driver who wronged him!). Patrick Emerling won the Modified race, and that was also cause for some controversy that’s too much to get into here. I just hope everyone involved learned a lesson from all the criticism they received on Facebook and the RaceNY forums.

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Beyond Khaleesi’s Garden: Proven Winners – Month Two

Time for an update on my Proven Winners goodies from May – there are still only two problems out of 18 plants, so I’m pretty impressed!

As mentioned previously, one of the Lemon Coral sedum died, but the other two are looking great!

The Summerific Perfect Storm hibiscus I received is no longer at a standstill – unfortunately, it’s very close to not even standing. This is a disappointment because I really love hibiscus.

On a happier note, the Meteor Shower verbenas that are in the same garden as the hibiscus are doing quite well.

The Fun and Games Leapfrog heucherella looks great huddled in with some other perennials, and the Magic Show Enchanted Indigo veronica is also looking good.

The three flowering shrubs I received are doing well, but a couple might need to be moved. Pink Mink clematis and Double Play Red spirea are both in my lilac/butterfly bush garden, but the clematis may need to be moved – it’s being overtaken by butterfly bush offshoots and I think the bunnies are getting at it! The spirea is also being crowded by butterfly bushes and dead nettle, so that may get a new home as well (or I’ll remove some of the other plants – it looks quite happy there!).

The Tuff Stuff hydrangea is looking nice as well.

As for the other annuals, Superbells Holy Moly! calibrachoa and Campfire Fireburst bidens are looking good in their containers.

Another container featuring purchased Proven Winners plants is looking fabulous – I’m always amazed by the Chocolate Drop trailing coleus.

Proven Winners provided me with many of the above-mentioned plants. All ideas and opinions are my own.

photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Discover Buffalo 2015: Race of Champions Asphalt Modified Tour

On Thursday, June 25^th, Lancaster National Speedway hosted the Race of Champions Asphalt Modified Tour for the Ol’ Boy Cup 60, the first of three remaining scheduled races at the track (the first, in April, fell victim to weather). Wow, what a crowd for a week night!

Andy Jankowiak and Chuck Hossfeld

Chuck Hossfeld won the event, followed by Matt Hirschman, Patrick Emerling, Andy Jankowiak and Jimmy Zacharias. There was also Big 10 Super Stock, 4-Cylinder and Vintage Modified action on the card.

Matt Hirschmann

Patrick Emerling

This Saturday, July 11^th, the RoC visits Holland Speedway for a 100-lap feature, along with the Pro Modifieds, Chargers, Hornets and NYPA Midgets. It’ll be an exciting night for racing fans, so don’t miss it!

Other dates coming up on the RoC schedule:

• Friday, June 24^th – Spencer Speedway
• Saturday, August 8^th – Chemung Speedrome
• Saturday, August 15^th – Lancaster National Speedway
• Friday, September 4^th – Oswego Speedway
• Saturday, September 27^th – Lancaster National Speedway
• Sunday, October 4^th – Chemung Speedrome

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Beyond Khaleesi’s Garden: Heavy Metal

This could actually be a “Khaleesi’s Garden” post as well, because there’s plenty of metal in the new garden! There are two main areas that house my metal garden, the new garden and the shed.

I finally got all of my “pets” in the new garden, which features three dragons, one baby dragon and a unicorn/Pegasus, as well as a wind spinner (not pictured).

The shed garden features the solar-light wind spinner and two minis (without lights), two sets (two different sizes) of calla lilies, two hummingbird spinners, two daisies and letters spelling out “BLOOM.”

This idea started with the solar-light spinner from Plow & Hearth via QVC – that’s also where the smaller ones came from.

The callas were no brainers – they’re one of the flowers I love and have had absolutely NO LUCK growing! What I spent on the metal ones, that will last a long time, probably equals what I spent on unsuccessful bulb purchases!

I had one of the hummingbirds last year – had to have a pair!

And I just thought “BLOOM” was really cute :)

Khaleesi’s Garden: Month No. 1

So the new garden is, for the most part, doing splendidly – I say “for the most part” because it could use a serious dose of weeding! This weekend looks good, so weeding all the gardens is tops on my priority list.

I’ve also had some bunny trouble (they’re lucky they’re so cute!). First they decided to behead Lord Voldemort, hence the green strawberry basket covering the rest of the coleus…of course, then they moved on and decimated one of my Dragon’s Blood sedum (Really?? A sedum?? Come on guys!).

Hopefully the appearance of a herd of dragons will bring them to their senses, right?

I still have one more piece of metal to get out – the unicorn – and then I just have to sit back and keep up with the weeding (in between raindrops, so the season seems to be going!).

Here are a few new images from last weekend.

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com.