One fair down and one to go

I entered 5 items in our county fair. I'd like to boast that I received 5 blue ribbons (which I did) but I can't see much to brag about since everyone in the crochet section (and most other categories as well) received a blue ribbon and I don't think I saw a single ribbon that wasn't blue (except the sweepstakes winner) in all the needle arts classes. Maybe I'm odd, but to me a blue ribbon is a symbol of being the best. Therefore giving a blue ribbon to everyone lessens the value of each ribbon. I'm all for it if they gave a ribbon (pick any color but blue) and awarded that for participating, and could even accept two or three blue ribbons in a class (depending on the number of entries) for really good work, but I think to blanket the division in blue is not the right thing to do. I realize that comparing a county fair to a state fair is kind of unfair because of the differing sizes but......... I don't remember how many places they award at the State Fair (maybe 5?) and they also give a few 'Honorable Mention' ribbons which I always was proud of. I felt like I'd made the final cut and had had a shot at being declared the best of the best.

It had been a busy week getting ready for the fair. Then this week just past was busy with freezing corn, getting my State Fair entries ready and just life in general. Saturday morning the county fair entries were released. I picked them up and headed for Indianapolis. I took 3 of the entries from the county fair to the state fair along with 4 others - total of 7. I dropped off my entries at the fairgrounds then headed north to Camel for a dog agility trial. Indiana Sheltie Rescue had the concession stand and a bake sale as a fund raiser. Bob spent Saturday and Sunday at the track. It's so good to see him feeling so much better and able to do things like that. But we're both pooped tonight!

The state fair entries were accepted yesterday and today. I'm not sure just when the judging is but the fair opens August 6. The Indiana State Fair does something I think is nice: On Sunday, August 1 there is an open house for all the exhibitors to come and see the exhibits in the Family and Home Arts Building. There usually are punch and cookies (Archway, of course) and it's neat to get a sneak peek at all the entries and see who won what. I hope I can go that day.

So now I just sit back and wait to see how I did. Actually, I probably won't be sitting all that much, but you know what I mean ;0)

Fun in Sugar Creek

This is a non-crochet posting. This past weekend we had a family outing. We took our camper to a campground on Sugar Creek in west-central Indiana. We were lucky to have great weather. Ale stayed with us the entire weekend. Our son David, his wife Jessica and 17-month-old grandson Cason came Saturday. I think everyone had a good time. The lower picture is of Bob and Ale in Sugar Creek.

The picture on top is of Cason getting Sugar Creek washed off. He really enjoyed the shower and tried to do it himself and wasn't the least bit interested in whether he had an audience or not!

This was our first camping trip since we got home from Arizona in April 2009. It was good to get away but I keep forgetting how much work is involved in going camping. You spend a lot of time and energy hauling stuff out of a perfectly good home into a smaller space. And before you're out of sight of home, you've started the list of 'what we forgot!' I'm old enough I'd just about rather make arrangements for food delivery for the entire weekend and just stay at home.