To Apease the Blog Police

AKA my dad.

Hannah Blogged the highlights of our Labor Day Trip. I have more pictures, but some of the ones she posted are mine.
http://upnorthhannah.blogspot.com/2009/09/week-end-and-what-went-on.html

A Few Fair highlights part one

I know, I know, it has been forever since I have posted anything. We have been busy. I have spent a lot of my computer time watering our sand garden. We actually have eaten a couple tomatoes and cucumbers from it.

THE EVENT of the summer....

The Saginaw County Fair! This was our second year participating, our first with animals. Total we had over 50 entries for our family. 2 goats, 2 chickens, lots of sewing, jam, cookies, drawing, photography, general crafts, beans, peppers, and flowers.

We spent many hours each day at the fairgrounds. It was fun for all including my mom, but tiring.

N was a little nervous before the showmanship class with her 5 month old Americauna. (I have no idea why this is underlined I didn't mean to do it that way)

She did fine!!! I told her that I was impressed that she talked to the judge (she has an aversion to talking to strangers). She said, "But moooommmm, I had to he is the judge"This is the other bird she took. She earned second and third place ribbons and a trophy.

Daniel loved the volunteer fireman's booth where he put out pretend fires and got a new fire hat every day.

Meeting other 4-H'ers and their animals. We spent time with our 4-H friends and met all kinds of new friends who also spent the week at the fairgrounds.

T with a baby chick at the petting zoo.

Gabbi giving Heidi one last spit shine. Waiting to see G in the show ring.

Talking to the judge during showmanship.Giving Hugs some kisses.

We interrupt this goat show for the rabbit and poultry costume parade. Dorothy, I mean N, is wearing my mom's red slippers that she wore to a high school dance.The costume classes are so funny...people come up with some very creative ideas. We watched the horse costume class later in the week which included Susan from Narnia on an Unicorn, Pipi Longstocking, a sheep, Cruella De Ville and one of the Dalmatians. Goat costume class...a princess and her pet fire breathing goat. I finished Hugs's costume at midnight the night before. It is a dog costume with some adaptions for a big belly and longer legs and neck.

I didn't photo graph all of the still exhibits...I don't think I ever found all of our families' entries, but here are some:Josie's Swing dress made from a Sense and Sensibility Pattern.

Mom talking to one of the volunteers. I think she helped keep them form getting bored.

These are the adult open clothing sewing entries. 6 of them are mine. The Blue and red jacket, the denim skirt, blue and white blouse, blue and pink robe, blue and white dress, and darker pink night gown. I also entered an apron made from the same fabric as the robe. The children and I were happy to get our clothes back. Especially N's night gown, my robe and M's sweater, an early birthday present.

My peppers were in the running for the smallest in the fair and my beans the biggest (not a good thing). I did an herb arrangement that I really liked but didn't get any pictures taken before it wilted.

You can see D's eye for detail in his pictures of his beloved trains. He also entered a blanket, a Lego car, and 2 drawings. He did very well for his first year.

Josie's embroidery project, her second ever, earned a best of show ribbon. I was impressed. They all did a great job!!

Now that we have gotten some sleep we have big plans for next year including some speeches, dog agility, and more sewing projects. They also think we should enter some of the things we received from Todd's Grandmother's estate in the antiques department. In talking with other 4-H moms, we all would like to get more done before the end of July!

Dustbath

The first time I saw one of the birds do this I got worried. She was hunkered down in a funny position. All I could think of was "don't let another one die". But one of the other birds stepped on her head and she got up and was fine.

So I caught one of them doing it last week on video:

I guess my fascination just shows that I am a neophyte farm-girl.

Swim follow up video

Garden May 23

Last Friday I told the children that after my front flower bed was filled with dirt (sand) they could go swimming.

They all worked fairly hard to earn their treat.

I am pretty sure I shovelled the most, but it got do and they got to swim.The garden is growing, but slowly. We had a hard frost last week. I managed to cover most things around midnight. Nothing completely died.My pole beans are being eaten by an unidentified bug. A neighbor said she had bean beetles of some sort eat all of her beans last year. Today I bought some "organic" bug killer. I will get it out there tomorrow and pray for the best.This is a pumpkin that didn't get covered for the frost. All the upper leaves were killed, but it has grown 3 inches and put out a bunch of new leaves since then.These are gourd plants that were covered, but still got too cold. They are alive and growing now.I planted 25 asparagus crowns earlier this spring. A few are showing themselves.Blooming asparagus.A friend/neighbor has way too much rhubarb. She offered some to me. She wasn't sure if I had actually taken some until I assured her that I had.The small bunch to the left was a plant that I salvaged from the old house that lived in the woods near the barn until this spring.

Swim

This was the first long swim of the season. I love going to the "pool": we dont' forget anything, if we do it is just in the house. The lifeguard's chair is in the shade. We don't have to clean up if we don't want to.

I asked G to get the new lawnmowers out to entertain me while I watched the people kids swim. They weren't much company, they wanted to eat the grass just past the length of the leash.

Heidi

Hugs

Old pattern New robe

I had a long week. I told Todd I felt like I needed a shopping trip (retail therapy) or an evening in my sewing room. He said no shopping.
I got out this pattern I had in my pile of sew sometime soon. I knew already what fabric I wanted to use. It is sort of a whimsy print I bought when our Hancock Fabrics went out of business a few years ago.I left out the front waist darts (I have no waist in the front) and ended up making the back darts a half inch smaller. I also decided to face the front skirt instead of following the instructions and just turning under a 1" hem. It gave me a bit more fullness in the front. If I were to do it again I would give myself even more fullness in the front or loose the baby belly. I also added belt loops for the ties. I am thinking about sewing the tie to the right front side and the left side seam so when I tie it it stays crossed better. At breakfast this morning my little girls told me a looked like a princess.

Excuse the face here. My son was making faces at me just as J snapped the picture. The retake was blurry.