If you grew up in a rural area, the fair is the culmination of the summer. If you were in 4-H this is when all of your projects needed to be completed and were judged on merit. If you were older, this is when you might take everything from your quilt to your collection of antique salt shakers, your homemade jelly to your garden fresh produce, your cakes and pies, which are also judged and awarded ribbons that are bragged about for the next year. Then everyone in the surrounding area comes to see and be seen, the kids ride the carnival rides and everyone eats 'Fair Food' which includes everything from chocolate covered bacon and deep fried Twinkies to funnel cakes and corn dogs. As a former 4-H kid I always figured if you didn't go home from the fair with at least one stomach ache you must have missed something!
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| l-r Judges Marilyn and Judy, Anita, Myself and Hubby |
We assembled a team of helpers and Judges and we were off to the fair for a week!
I gained a new appreciation for how hard it is to be a judge watching these two examine seams and 'points', deciding which workmanship was in some cases just a hair better.
We appreciated too, the young ladies who climbed up and hung our quilts when the judges were done.
That purple quilt in the center was done by a 75 year old gentleman who sews the quilts himself, but does let his wife help him with color combos! He won the 'Peoples Choice' award the first day.
Needle Arts is 'sew' much more than quilts! (sorry the pun was just waiting there) It includes anything that is made with a needle; clothing, crochet, knitted items, home decor, toys, doll clothes etc.. (two categories: youth and adult)
That American flag in the corner was crocheted by a young lady in the under 17 class and won the 'Peoples Choice' award on the last day of the fair.
The ribbon for 'Best of Show' in the youth category went to a lap quilt by a 12 year old young man! Some of our youngest exhibitors are doing lovely work already.
I am pleased to see young people still doing this sort of thing. So many of our youth are making headlines for reasons that make me despair of the future. The kids who came to the fair made me think things will be OK!
This beauty won Best of Show in the adult category, and is completely hand stitched - the applique, the piecing and the quilting! Oh my...the time and patience involved! The finished product is so worth it to look at though!
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| l-r Angie and Pearl ( Pearl is Anita's mother) |
The section had to be monitored all the time so Anita and I were there for the whole fair. We did have help on several occasions. Hubby came and helped out 3 days, and we had a few friends that gave us a break here and there.
These two characters were arguably our most popular 'docents'! They came and let Anita and I see the rest of the fair for about 4 hours. They were a big hit with everyone.
It was fun but probably a good thing it is only a week, we were tired! We got back to our normal lives and are looking forward to next years fair already! (Okay it took a couple of days to start looking forward to it!)
In the meantime, at home....
The garden is exploding, and not just with weeds.
Hubby's tomatoes are producing at an alarming rate!!
Hubby has finished the new planter in the front yard....
...and dispersed and raked 12 yards of 'road mix' gravel in the lot area.
And now you also know what he does while I sit in an air conditioned office 4 days a week!! (this may also be why he has lost more weight than me this summer!)
Football season is starting and fall cannot be far off! WooHoo!
Kathy we had two days of really hot weather in winter so are a bit nervous about summer coming up. The Fair looks fabulous. We probably call it a Show here and most towns have them. Enjoy the aircon at work. I used to too ;-)
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