yardgranny6's Blog

A day at the County Fair
Oct 18, 2007 | 6:16 PM PST
Tags: Fair week , senior day , petting zoo , free lunch , flower contest , Rain?

It was Senior Day at our Eastern Carolina Fair!  Hot, Dry and Dusty as all get out. Even the animals looked like they could care less. I enjoy seeing all the different animals, but at the same time I know that is no life for any animal, to be hauled around and then stared at by humans. The chickens, pigeons, rabbits and pigs are local so I don't worry that they don't have a life outside the fair.

Senior Day is a day that many nursing homes bring out their elderly patients so they can get out for a bit and see the sights. It is good to see the interaction of the caregivers to their charges. Lots of daycares bring their little ones to see the animals, eat cotton candy and get a free lunch as well. Some are excited, some just cry because they are tired or when the petting zoo animals come too close, but they still have a good time.

My husband and I enjoy walking through the exhibition hall. It is small compared to the state fair hall, but nice none the less. This year I helped our Master Gardeners judge the flower contest and the 4-H tomato contest. The 4-H tomatoes did not grow well due to the rotten weather. But there were still some children that were successful. They all recieve ribbons and we are to pick the best in each category.

The Flower/Plant contest was interesting. Gave me an idea of what would do well in a contest. Too many ferns that all look alike (except for a friends whose fern was gorgeous) (I did not put my two cents worth in that one) Some plants/flowers were just jerked up out of the ground and stuck in a pot. Since you don't know who entered them, it could have been a child, so you try not to be too judgemental. Just stick on a ribbon and go to the next one.

There were some spectacular plants: Mules Ear, A Pencil Cactus, the one that won Best of Show was a cactus named (Stapelia Noblis (sta-PEL-ee-a) or - Hairy Giant Starfish FlowerCarrion Flower", It was a bud when we did the judging and today it was open. Thankfully I did not get the benefit of its scent. Then there were the houseplants. I fell in love with two African Violets I had never seen before. They had varigated leaves. I left a note at the booth of the Garden Club members that had entered them that I would like a cutting. Don't know if I will hear from anyone or not. All in all it was a fun thing.

The booth for our Extension Agency is always nice. Our agent, Tony, has such good vision. He uses cinderblocks, sheets of plywood, flat slate rocks and a black plastic liner to build a waterfall. It is about 10/12 feet long and 3/4 feet high. Around the sides he and his MG helpers put potting soil and then lay sod on it. They keep it watered all week. They decorate with ferns mostly. At the end of the waterfall is a 'garden spot' which turned out real nice this year. If you look at the pictures you will see Swamp Sunflowers there. They grow 6 to 10 feet tall and spread everywhere. I have a friend that really likes them, but I would not want to have to keep them under control.

 After a couple of hours in the heat and dust, my husband and I sat and waited until it was time to receive our free lunch. It consisted of a 'light' bar-b-que sandwich, a little hostess cake, an apple and a bag of peanuts and a drink. Not to shabby.

Now we are waiting for the expected rain coming toward us from lower Georgia. People here are losing plants and trees because of the lack of rain. Talked with a friend today that said she has lost two Dogwoods. Now folks, if the dogwoods begin to die out, it is drought time for sure. There are tall evergreen trees ( I cannot remember the names) that have been along the roads in several places here in town for many years and lots of those have died. This is the worst year I have seen yet. And to think it is like this all over the, shall I say Continent? not just the US. If it is not dry, then there is too much water. No in between is there?

Tomorrow is another day and if it is raining, I will be forced to clean house at least a little bit. If not I will be bringing the plants in and taking some cuttings. Then on Monday it will be time to get that LAST load of mulch. After that I will finish cleaning out the big flower bed and putting it down for the winter. In a way it is good to have a little better weather because normally these outside chores would have needed to be completed by now.

 More to Come Later