MINT FESTIVAL 2010

Summer in Starke County is not all about the lake. No, in one part of Starke County - over in North Judson - the Mint Festival gives everyone a chance to celebrate the county's other harvest - the mint.

The carnival is one way to help celebrate, and Becca enjoys the rocket ride, as shown in this photo. She also enjoyed the pony rides - which she rode twice - but her father didn't get the right shot.

Can I? Huh? Can I?

Maybe if Dad is not looking, I can write my name in the fresh concrete. Wait, it's not all poured yet. Dad has to pour some more along the side. Then, when he's done, I'll write my name . . . er, initials, in the concrete.

Actually, when all was said and done, we wrote all of our initials in the wet crete. Becca was a big help.

WHY WOULD I GO TO THE LAKE AND MISS ALL THIS FUN?

Becca came out to see what her Dad was up to and discovered that he was pouring a concrete apron around the older edges of the house. At much insistence (Becca can be very insistent!) Becca helped her father stir the sack-crete so that her father could then pour it into the forms.

Overheard while pouring concrete:

"Becca, why don't you go inside and see what your mother is doing?"

"I'd rather help you, Daddy," she replied.

"Why don't you ask your mother to run you up to the lake?"

"Why do I want to go to the lake and miss all this fun? No way!"

Becca's idea of fun: Dressing up in a nice play dress and then proceeding outside to help dad with messy construction job whereby the kid gets concrete stains all over her outfit, hands, legs and smudges on her cheecks.

She's a Ratliff!

I DON'T WANT TO COME OUT OF THE WATER!

After swimming at the high school pool, the shallow waters of Bass Lake are even more fun now that Becca has swimming strokes to practice. She can't wait for her cousin Colton to finally show up and swim with her.

SHOW ME THE WATER!

Rebecca enjoys a night of open swim at the High School. She
loves to leap from the diving board into the deep end (over 12 feet deep!). She can now can jump off and swim to the side by herself.

During April and May, Becca spent a week during each month attending swimming lessons. Every day after school for a week she and other K-2 graders were taught swimming strokes and floating techniques without the benefit of floating devices.

Now, her mother and father can't seem to get her out of the deep end.