Colorado Chronicles : Hot Times in August

A Festival in the Hills

Colorado is where the 3rd most readers of Three States Plus One reside and I am grateful to both all of them. Even though it's only Monday, I wanted to give my Mom and 2nd Dad, Mark these folks a heads up on what will going on in the Centennial State for the rest of August. And away we goooooooooo...(in no particular order)

• 2010 Friday Night Comedy Series - Every Friday Night in August in Keystone.
• The 2010 Carbondale Wild West Rodeo - starts Thursday, Augusta 12.
• Mile High Music Festival - runs Saturday and Sunday (14th & 15th), featuring Weezer and the Steve Miller Band, in Commerce City at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
• A Taste of Colorado 2010 - this event is actually on Labor Day Weekend, but that's close enough to Augusta to mention this one - it's a biggie. In Denver at Civic Center Park, September 3 - 6.
• Tutankhamun : The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs - now through January 9, 2011 at the Denver Art Museum.

NFL Pre-Season Football - Denver Broncos host the Detroit Lions on August 21 at Invesco Field at Mile High..

That's a short list of some of the things going around the Rockies for August. There are, of course, a million other things to do this month in Colorado. To get more info on an area of the state you plan to visit, simply go to colorado.com and click away!

Maine Minutiae : Cuttin' the Mustard for Over 100 Years - UPDATED

Over a Century of Mustard

My main(e) (<---pun) goal in writing this blog is to feature something you haven't previously known about, and today I may have reached that goal. Unless you have strong connections to Maine (Eastport specifically), like living/have lived here or have family or friends here, chances are you've never heard of Raye's Mustard. You are gonna thank me by the end of this post. Raye's is located in Eastport and has been at the same location for 103 years using the same stone grinding machinery for that entire time! Here's a four minute video that walks you through the whole process of how Raye's Mustard is made. Even watching the video gives you the feeling of traveling back to 1903, the very beginning of of this legendary business. Today, in 2010, Raye's has more types of mustard than the Octomom and Kate plus Eight together have kids. My personal favorite is the sweet and spicy, but I have tried several different flavors and each is very tasty. Another thing: while looking for Raye's Mustard's Facebook page, I learned that at 10PM, EDT, tonight, the company will be featured on Food Crafters on the Cooking Channel. My wife has already set the DVR. :) Raye's really is a good product and they offer a large variety of mustards to choose from so your sandwich will never be the same twice in a row. Pride, tradition and those 103 year old seed mills have proven to be a winner in New England...and maybe your state, too.

***DISCLAIMER : I WAS NOT compensated in any way by Raye's Mustard for writing this post.I genuinely like and use their product...I have some in my 'fridge right now.***

UPDATE : According Raye's Mustard's Kevin Raye via Facebook The Cooking Channel will repeat tonight's broadcast featuring Raye's Mustard as follows:           
Kevin Raye Bummer, Roberta, but don't despair! It will re-air three times, as follows:
August 10, 2010 2:00 AM
August 14, 2010 5:30 PM
August 16, 2010 12:00 PM

Texas Tidbits : The Greatest of the Greatest Generation

Go Vikings! 

Nimitz High School in Irving, Texas (Class of '75!) was named after one of the most celebrated Naval Officers in the history of the United States Navy. Born in Fredericksburg, Texas, February 24, 1885, Chester William Nimitz was the bouncing baby boy of Anna (Henke) Nimitz and Chester B. Nimitz, who died before his hero-to-be son was born. It was young Chester's grandfather, himself a retired sea captain, who instilled the virtues and character in Nimitz that would serve him, and our country, so well later in life. At the Offical US Navy website we learn that young Chester "had his sights set on an Army career and while a student at Tivy High School, Kerrville, Texas, he tried for an appointment to West Point. When none was available, he took a competitive examination for Annapolis and was selected and appointed from the Twelfth Congressional District of Texas in 1901. He left high school to enter the Naval Academy Class of 1905. It was many years later, after he had become a Fleet Admiral that he actually was awarded his high school diploma. At the Academy Nimitz was an excellent student, especially in mathematics and graduated with distinction -- seventh in a class of 114". Admiral Nimitz's rise through the ranks of the Navy ultimately led him aboard the USS Missouri, where on September 2, 1945, on behalf of the United States of America, he signed the document that was the unconditional surrender of the Japanese, ending World War II. There's so much more to this man's story that I'd love to tell, but time and space won't allow me to do so. I urge you to click on the links in the post and read more about this true American Hero who was The Greatest of the Greatest Generation.

Three States Plus One Poll Question

Are you ready for some football?

Yesterday, I had a request from a friend of mine, Kim, to do a one-time post about how BIG High School Football is in Texas. That set me to thinking, why not do a weekly feature on HS Football for all Three Plus One states? Or maybe just for Texas? Or Texas plus any/all states you would like to know about? For Texans who are living in away from home, like me, it might be a good way to keep up our alma maters (Nimitz High School - Irving, Texas - Class of  '75 - Go Vikings!). Personally, I think it's a great idea, but I write this blog for you, so it will depend on what you think as to what I do. In the right sidebar (next to this post in blue text), you'll see a poll question with several choices. Look 'em over and vote! The poll closes Monday morning at 10AM, EDT. Your participation is encouraged and appreciated. If you have any further suggestions or ideas, please leave them in the comments. Are you ready for some football? Or not?

To Our Newer Readers !

Over the last few weeks we have picked up hundreds of new readers from all over the world! The staff, management, janitors and the ferrets who work so diligently to keep our server up, thank you for helping us grow so quickly (BTW, I am all those things except the ferrets). This is my first attempt at blogging and knowing that you take time to spend a part of your day here at Three States Plus One is a very humbling experience. We have been read by residents of 28 states and 8 foreign countries. I never expected such a warm welcome to the blogosphere. Recently, folks from Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Connecticut, North Carolina, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey, Maryland, New Mexico and New Hampshire have paid us a visit. I have written about several of those states and if you missed the posts, just enter your state's name (or any state for that matter) in the search box at the top right of the home page and see what I had to say. If you'd like to see a post about your state or a city therein, just email me at threestatesplusone "at" gmail "dot" com. I am always open to topic suggestions or criticism, so feel free to let me know what's on your mind in an email or in the comments. Again, I am very grateful for your support. Adios, y'all.

Toby

Maine Minutiae : Rockland Lobster Festival

Supper

I love BBQ and I really love Tex Mex and dammit there's precious little of either here in Maine. But that's OK. Here in Maine, we get seafood straight from the factory. That factory is the Atlantic Ocean. Rockland is about 42 miles from my house and it sits right on the ocean. For the last sixty-three years, the folks of Rockland have been throwing a shindig called the Maine Lobster Festival and it's going on again this weekend! Rockland will be abuzz with tourists from all over the world  through Sunday, Augusta 8th., scarfing down Maine's best known export - big bad ass lobsters. I tracked down a schedule of events for the festival and it's gonna be a hoot with stuff like a cod fish carry, diaper derby and costume parade for the kids and arts, crafts, lobster crate races, the BIG parade for and of course tons (literally) of lobster to be devoured by Mom and Dad. It may be too late for some of you to attend the party this year, but click here for the schedule for 2011 and 2012. Unfortunately, my weekend is full this year, having just learned of the Maine Lobster Festival a couple of days ago, but not to worry. I can go about a mile down the street and pick up a big, fat, succulent Maine lobster and savor it for supper. You're invited. RSVP.

Texas Tidbits : Amarillo

Amarillo sits at the Top of Texas in the middle of The Golden Spread. The once Helium Capital of the World is closer to the capitals of five other states than it is to its own. Check this out...
Distance from Amarillo to:

• Santa Fe, NM- 281 mi.
• Oklahoma City, OK - 260 mi.
• Denver, CO - 421 mi.
• Topeka, KS - 432 mi.
• Cheyenne, WY - 445 mi.
• Austin, TX - 491 mi. 

I don't want to say that Amarillo is in the middle of nowhere, but when the closet big town to you is Lubbock, you are Officially In The Middle of Nowhere. Honestly, it's not that bad. Amarillo is a fine town and a nice place to live. I know. I have lived there. Hell, even Oprah has been there. The first European to see what is now Amarillo was Francisco Coronado in 1541, when the area was home to the Comanches. Coronado also was the first European to set eyes on one of the most stunning vistas in Texas (and that's saying a lot)...Palo Duro Canyon. Cattle have played a major factor in the history of Amarillo and some of the ranches in the region were bigger than some New England states. As a matter of fact, the JA Ranch founded by Charles Goodnight in 1877 is still  in operation today. Other nearby attractions include the World Famous Cadillac Ranch and the magnificent Lake Meredith, where Fish.Fear.Me.I can't, in good conscience, write about Amarillo and not mention The Big Texan Steak House, home of the FREE 72 oz. steak (if eaten within 1 hour). That's over four pounds of steak! There's lots to do in and around Amarillo and on a long drive it's a great stopping off point to spend the day and see the sights. Palo Duro Canyon and Lake Meredith are must sees. I have visited every place in town mentioned in this post and I can tell you that Amarillo is a pretty damn good place to be.