Pretty Good Day

When we attended the parade I wrote about earlier, they were handing out fliers advertising a gem and mineral show to be held this weekend at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University here in Prescott. So Friday we decided to visit the show as we haven't been to a good gem show since we lived in Syracuse. It wasn't as big as what we used to go to at the fairgrounds but it was big enough and had a good assortment of gems, crystals, tools and books. I picked up a turquoise cab to mount on the end of my hunting knife and Diane got a pair of silver and opal earrings.

 It was getting on to dinner time by the time we had finished with the show so we took the back way into Prescott to see about dinner. I'm getting pretty good at navigating by dead reckoning if I don't have the GPS with me and we wound up right in the center of the old section of town by the town square.

The square is the center of a lot of activities and is anchored by the county court house.

Since this year is the centennial celebration of Arizona statehood, there are even more events staged than usual. Last weekend was the "Shootout on Whiskey Row" put on by the local Western re-enactment organization featuring gunfights and fancy dress cowboys and saloon girls. Diane wasn't up to going to that so we stayed home, but it would have been fun.

Anyway, back to dinner. The square is bordered on one side by Whiskey Row, a line of shops and restaurants I've written about before. On another side, the old main drag through town, are more shops and restaurants, including the Prescott Brewing Company. That was my goal for dinner and we just beat the crowd. It turns out that every Friday, they offer a special of smoked prime rib. Well, I just had to try it and it was delicious. Just the thing to complement the brew I had, the Black Sheep Ale, a dark IPA with a unique finish. The lineup of brew names reflect aspects of the West or the community.

The inside is decorated with a very eclectic decor and this guy was right in back of our table.

After a dessert of chocolate mousse we wandered back out and down the street. Of course, there's always another store to check out and Diane found a new purse on sale. It has so much bling I told her to tell everybody it came from Vegas.

Then it was over to the square. This night they had a band set up belting out rock tunes. They were pretty good and we stayed for a while to listen and watch the people. Across the street on Whiskey Row, folks were out on the balcony of the old Palace Saloon relaxing and listening to the show. What a way to spend a Friday evening. That's what's in the opening photo.

It was a very good day, interesting and relaxing and without incident.

Saturday morning I went over to get the mail. I let Diane sleep and took Curley so he'd get a little time out. The post office is about 10 miles away and located in what is supposed to be an historical district. There's a bunch of old storefronts and  a bunch of new storefronts made up to look old. I've got to go back some time when things are open. But they have a play area out in front and some exhibits. This is one of the exhibits.

This covered wagon, while not a Conestoga pattern "prairie schooner", is still a reminder of how the job got done until quite recently. It's impressive for its' size, or lack of it. While the front seat is certainly not original, you can see that this rig was only about two butts wide.

Looking down into it from the front reminded me of a coffin with a canvas top. And check out the brakes. That board in front of the rear wheel is connected to the lever on the right side at the front with an iron rod. Pulling on the lever rubs the board against the wheel rim to slow the rig down. Must have been some fun going down hills.

After picking up the mail and herding the dog back into the car I returned to the ranch to find this guy waiting for me on the fence.