More pastries please...

We started our day by visiting the Ashland farmer's market. I love to do this when I'm traveling as it gives me a true sense of place for the area. For example, at farmer's markets in Madison and Orange County we've savored maple syrup and fresh avocados, respectively. These are items that we don't find at our local Oregon markets. Because the four hand pies we found at the market weren't quite enough, our next stop was Deux Chats bakery. This ranks as a don't miss for Ashland alongside the Earl Grey infused chocolate chip ice cream from Mix Sweet Shop.

We wandered back up to Medford and a bit west to the small town of Jacksonville. Jacksonville is a well-preserved gold rush town from the 1800's and is designated as a National Historic Landmark. We didn't have a lot of time and it was HOT but we did enjoy wandering around town a bit.

The highlight of the trip was attending a performance of Pirates of Penzance at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Everything about the performance was outstanding including the atmosphere of the outdoor Elizabethan theatre, stage decoration/props, the music, the acting, the audience participation... I could go on and on. The actors don't use mikes but you can still hear them quite well. We are already planning another trip next year.

Unfortunately we were lazy and didn't take any photos today so you'll have to settle for some puppy pictures. This is my parents' puppy, Trooper. He is a five-month old Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. He had a fun time in Ashland too enrolling in doggy day care for the first time with his big sis Hi-D.