Another Fair Bites the Dust

As I've done in years gone by, so I did this year. I entered 13 items in the 2010 Ilderton Fall Fair. There was one minor difference this year - ten items were knitted and only three were baked! A sign of the times - just a little too busy with the business to bake for two days.

There is always so much to see and do at an old fashioned country fair....but only when the weather co-operates. And this year it was cold, wet and muddy. Barb and I, like many others, braved the wet and cold with winter coats and umbrellas. Attendance was understandably below average, and many rides were not running, but the Arena was buzzing with activity. All kinds of arts and crafts, baking, flowers and handwork.

I was really pleased with my efforts this year - a whole bunch of ribbons to add to my collection!

Here are the knitted items:

FIRST PLACE

Rogue Hoodie

FIRST PLACE

Cell Phone Cozy

FIRST PLACE

Geometer's Sketchpad Felted Bag

FIRST PLACE



Newfie Mittens and Hat



FIRST PLACE

Andean Hat and Mittens

FIRST PLACE

Preemie Blanket and Hat

SECOND PLACE

Caramello Hilja Vest

SECOND PLACE

Hunter's Hoodie

THIRD PLACE

Here are the baked items:

FIRST PLACE

Blackforest Cherry Cake

FIRST PLACE

Egg and Vegie Casserole

SECOND PLACE

Blackforest Cherry Trifle

Not a bad haul huh?

Only one item didn't get a placing - that was a baby set.

Now I'm gonna go cut myself a HUGE slice of that winning Blackforest Cherry Cake!  Mmmm......

To be Fair

I love September even though it means the end of summer. My annual hope is for an Indian Summer of course, but I do so love the changing colours on the maple trees, the crisp mornings, the dew covered grass, the dewy bejewelled spider webs and that warm sunny spot found quite by accident.

I also love that September spurs a frenzy of knitting and baking for the Ilderton Fall Fair. This year I entered 8 knitted items and 2 baked items.

The knitting division:

Astoria Sweater [1ST PLACE]

Ozmoss Central Park Hoodie [1ST PLACE]

Shibui Reds [2ND PLACE]

Jacaranda Caboodle Scarf

Preemie Set (Hat and Blanket 30" square donated to Children's Hospital) [2ND PLACE]

Hat & Mitts Set (Donated to Women's Institute) [1ST PLACE]

Thanksgiving Pumpkin [2ND PLACE]

Children's Lizard Mittens (Bazaar Item)

The baking division:

Butter Pecan Pie [3RD PLACE]

Blueberry Bread Pudding with Golden Cream Sauce [3RD PLACE]

It was disappointing to see how many baking categories were eliminated this year. But most disappointing was the limited categories for the Country Fair Baking Contest. This year the categories were: bread, canning, two crust pie, jam/jelly, muffins and sticky buns. Not that there's anything wrong with these categories - but to be fair, these categories are all already included in other baking categories!

The Country Fair Baking Contest, IMHO, should be like the women's 100m track event in the Olympics, or the quest for the Holy Grail. Blood should be spilled to win the championship ribbon - bakers should be frothing at the bit! The categories should reflect this, and one would think that there would be a cake baking section at least.

[steps down from her pedestal]

So, the results of my knitting and baking?

Well, I scored three 1sts, three 2nds and two 3rds. Not bad!

Here's the table of all my goodies. The Blueberry Bread Pudding with Golden Cream Sauce won me a baggie of prizes. It was excellent! I scored an insulated coffee mug with a leather milk holder around it, four dessert dishes in black and white (spotted like cows), two cow pencils, a lovely pen, a cow Xmas stocking, four cow sticky pads, a beanie baby cow, and cow oven mitts! Totally cool!

So that's the Fair for another year! Now to chow down on the pecan pie and bread pudding. Mmmm.......