The Picket Fence

Wow, almost a year since I last posted. Too much life still happening, but I do check in at least weekly to go through my blog roll and see what everyone is up to!    

We had a monster wind storm last night and this is what my picket fence looks like this morning. All damage to this section just due to wind. I am grateful I have power (some don't) and grateful no one seems to have been injured (although the buzzing of the chainsaws at houses surrounding me for the last 8 hours may cause me to start banging my head on a hard surface). Lots of trees down, some will be up to 48 hours with no power, children have the day off school, and limbs and wires everywhere, play sets and trampolines crushed. .



The back three side sections were attacked by a flying trampoline. These are not my lawn chairs, either.

 

We had a horrific tragedy in a neighboring community this week. One of those things you think can only happen in big cities or in a movie. Something that the town will never forget and something that families will never recover from. And an innocent person who got up that morning, sent her kids to school and husband to work and then went to work herself, at a business we all frequent without a second thought is lost forever. And a confused and tortured soul, someone she had never met before, gone, too - taking any explanation for this tragedy with him.

No profound thought. No solution. Just life.

I began this blog about three years ago. I loved to collect dishes and was amazed to find a community of "tablescapers" who loved to set a beautiful table as much as I did. (Thank you, Sam, who showed me the world of blogging from her desktop)

I would visit these blogs and find my way to other blogs of moms and grandmothers and wives and widows and women - all with some same and some different interests.

I found blogs with wonderful photography, blogs with amazing writing skills, blogs that shared homemaking, blogs that shared quilting, blogs that shared recipes, blogs that shared struggles, blogs that shared triumphs. Blogs that promote a service (Hi Colorado Lady) that makes me smile.

As with most of us, life started to happen. It was harder to find time to write, hard to find time to decorate and take photographs, hard to join parties and visit each site.

I had decided I would try to take time to begin blogging again. And as I began my post, I discovered I have run out of space in the photo storage.
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I am taking it as a sign. It's time to end.

I am keeping my page. Who knows? I might decide to start blogging again someday.

I also want to keep my blog roll - I love to visit each of you and check in from time to time and see what you are up to.

So I am not saying good-bye - I am saying, "See you later!"

Miss Merry

Small Town - Just Like Me!

 I live in a small town. My parents lived in the same small town. Now my children live in the same small town and they are small town, just like me (apologies to John Mellencamp!) One thing I love about small towns is their traditions. The tradition of the Pet N Pup Parade in my small town has been around for more years than I can track down. I remember attending the parade when I was young and I think I remember my mother telling me she remembered the parade, too. The premise is simple - dress up your pup or pet (and yourself) and march in the parade down Main Street. 

 

Attendance was down a few years ago. The parade had always been held in the Spring and Spring in Ohio can mean very cold weather, wind and rain. Not much fun for children and pets. Someone had a bright idea - let's move the parade to Autumn and  - since it is closer to Halloween - maybe people will be more willing to find costumes for the pets and kids! It worked! Participation is at an all time high! The parade is the kick off for the day long activities - The New Autumn Leaves Festival! 

How cute are the bride, bridesmaid and tiny groom? 

It's Alice in Wonderland, a Cowgirl and a family of Bees all in one photo!  It was a lovely sunny fall day to show off the kids and the pets!



Last Year's King and Queen of the Parade. Each year, since time began, one boy and one girl are selected as the Pet N Pup King and Queen. they wear the large crowns and velvet cloaks and ride in convertibles in all area parades. It is quite an honor! AND both win a bicycle. I can remember drooling over the Schwinn, showcased in a store window when I was a kid.  Still First Prize - one girl's bike and one boy's bike!

 Do you see the Lego blocks on the far side of the street? That is a friend's daughter and her little Lego children. The red Lego won the boy's bicycle!

Dog and Daughter in Hula Skirts. Don't you love all the dads and moms in the parade? It is a real family affair!

You can't have an event without a controversy! The original winner of the boy's bicycle was the adorable Charlie Brown walking beside his sister pulling the adorable Woodstock in the wagon. But when "Charlie" got on stage - he was a she! And Princess Leia had already won the girl's bike! Next year entrants will have to be color coded pink and blue!

This entry (you can barely see past the newspaper's photographer) was my favorite. Hopefully you can spot the little police office leading his convict pony!  Yes, the ponies were the end of the parade (I think we all know why!). It is such a fun event and I am so glad that I was able to introduce all four of my grandchildren to the parade for the first time.

County Fair 2012






Antique Clothing on the line at our Heritage Exhibit at the County Fair



Well, summer is almost over. The official end to summer at our house is the final day of clean up at the county fair. I was a 4-H advisor for almost 20 years and have also served as a junior fair superintendent in the Home Ec/FCS department for almost 15 years. It is a position of lots of responsibility and no pay :) - you know the kind!

This year's fair theme was Race to the Fair. Clubs decorate booths with the theme and we try to come up with a slogan for the style review. Our favorite was Ready, Set, Sew. Unfortunately in today's world, many of the 4-H members no longer sew. Consumer Projects have become very popular. These projects (which do entail a lot of time and work on the part of the  member) explore the development of shopping, consumer tips, clothing care and wardrobe management skills while the member puts together a total look outfit. Luckily my board president came up with an alternative - Race for the Ribbon.

Our sad 4-H Quilt display. We usually have 8-12 pillows, 4-6 wall hangings and at least 2 large quilts.

My board is our county FCS board, consisting of teen leaders who submit an application in December to belong. They are the unpaid advisers unpaid assistants. I had so much going on myself this year and the members really stepped up and took over. We offer a clinic for members in sewing and consumer clothing, foods and nutrition and quilting in April and the members organized over 3 hours of informational sessions, wrote and performed skits, provided examples of previous projects, had a modeling clinic and answered questions for members and parents. I had several parents who attended come up and express thanks and compliments for all they did for the younger members.

Luckily my FCS girls know FFA boys who helped us lift the stage sections.

I try to come up with some fun activities, too. This year we traveled to Kent State University to visit the Fashion Museum where we saw so many interesting displays including Civil War Fashions from the Home Front, Beachwear from the 1890's, an exhibit of tie dying from the 1600's until now, and several displays from different designers. There is a great restaurant nearby, Rockne's, where we always stop for lunch. This year I scheduled all our meetings at coffee shops throughout the county. This proved very popular, too.

Discussing our next move.

Then the fair. My members are there with me in shifts on the day before the fair. We receive in all the projects and place them for display. We create exhibits for our foods and nutrition program and the quilt program and also work on decorations for the awards ceremony on Monday night.

Our finished stage!

I don't arrive until noon on Monday. We start by creating a stage, hanging curtains as a backdrop and decorating for the evening ceremony. Our goal is to finish in time to change for the ceremony!

Bumblebee themed 4-H place setting

On Wednesday we judge all the FCS projects that were not judged prior to the fair. I am usually there from 8 a.m. until 2. There is an award ceremony for these projects at 2:00 p.m. 

This one has a hog theme.

Our food projects are judged in July so that the winners can compete at the State Fair, which ends the week before our county fair.

This place setting, with the fair's race theme, complemented a grilling project and was created by one of our 4-H guys!

The placesetting is a part of your food judging. A few years ago, we decided to feature the four most outstanding placesettings at our fair. A trophy is given to the top placesetting in memory of a former superintendent who left us too soon.

This one was a little more fancy at judging. Sometimes families don't want to bring special items to the fair.

This year I only took one shift as building superintendent - 5-10 p.m. on Saturday. Then on Sunday - we arrive at 8 a.m. and try to have it all torn down and picked up by noon. In my younger days, that signalled the mad dash to the store for school clothes and supplies!

You have to pace yourself with Fair Food. Monday is a steak sandwich from the Cattlemen, Tuesday is a pork chop sandwich from the FFA, etc. Saturday night sitting in the barn, I don't have to balance on my lap. Here is my smashed potato, corn on the cob and bbq pork - only $6!