FAIR UPDATE

I'm pleased to share a little more of our exciting week with you! As Clint and I spend time at the St. Joseph County Fair in our old hometown, Centreville, Michigan, I hope to share the fun of the fair with you!

On Tuesday we spent the day volunteering in the Miracle of Birth tent as we do every year. We worked from 9am-3pm helping do whatever was needed for the animals. Clint helped alot with the cow, doing chores and as you can see, (in the very unflatering picture of me!) I took care of the incubator where the chicks were hatching. It was very hot at the fair yesterday and we were trying to claim any breeze we could. As you see, the sides of the tent had been rolled up. Several chicks hatched on my shift and I turned all the eggs at least once. The incubator stays at a steady 100 degrees and when a hatched chick is completely dry they go over to the other glassed in pen where they can eat and drink and walk around under a very warm light. Having been a sort of "chicken farmer" for a while, I really enjoy talking to all the people who are interested in knowing more about the chicks.

When we were done, Clint went to work at the chaplaincy's booth and I went to spin with the spinning and weaving guild in the needlework building. One of the other spinners and I got our pictures taken by a man from the local newspaper. I guess it appeared today. I haven't seen it yet.

Today I went and spun some more while Clint manned the chaplaincy booth again. It is great fun seeing lots of old friends and talking to people interested in what you are doing. I got all my alpaca/wool blend spun and plied. I really liked working with it and was sorry to see the product finished in one way. I immediately started some 100% alpaca--a little more challenging! I'll post pictures of the finished yarns later.

This evening Rhiannon came over to the fair and we did what we do nearly every year--attended the Demolition Derby! Hooray for wrecking cars on purpose under safe conditions! We got kind of hooked on this while my dad was still alive. He always took our kids when we lived in Centreville just a block from the fairgrounds. They enjoyed it so much that we all started going. Most of the time now, it's me and Rhiannon that enjoy the derby and tonight we had a friend driving in it for the first time. She did really well, but wasn't the final top prize winner. Yes, I know, this is out of character for me! But I really do enjoy the derby! The one picture of the upside down ride with the flags was taken by Rhi from the top of the grandstand while we waited for the derby to start. While we still were living in Centreville we awoke early one morning to fire whistles and a glow in the sky. The very, very old grandstand, a sort of icon in the county, was on fire. It burned beyond saving and a new grandstand was built to replace it. It is very nice and tonight was great mild weather for sitting outside to watch the show.

More pictures later in the week! Blessings, LORI