State fair roundup

Well my folks, I’ve (maybe) finally decompressed from the state fair. One of my friends was like,”how do you do all the stuff you do???” Well my secret ended up being, I don’t always do everything. This summer I took a total break from my passion of Flamenco dancing at Flamenco Louisville—something I’ve been doing off and on for 15 years now. I took a big break from going out and seeing people as much as I did, which gave me time to be a hermit a little and go more internal for the summer. I had lots of other responsibilities that needed seeing to. Always the garden gets out of hand but this year whew… so I’ve been taking it all in and thinking how can I prepare now and move forward now to not have as much of the downsides of a busy schedule as I have had this summer. And as much as I want to just write out that seemingly simple two word goal “do everything”—girl 😂, no… However that doesn’t mean I’m not gonna still shoot for the moon! You know me!
So we all visited the fair (me, family, friends, club members, Kentuckians, others) for a good long time. It went well I think! I picked up my things (with a mild panic attack when we couldn’t find anything then realized there was a special pile for mine), I picked up my ribbons, critiques, and premiums, and made it home! Of course, myriad photo shoots ensued. Decorating of my room with ribbons, putting all the critiques in a safe place, and deciding where each entry item lives now. One yarn is getting ready to zoom off to her new home. A painting as well. Things moved to the famous Christmas present bag, things moved to the “hope chest” shelf in my closet. After a brief yet highly satisfying yarn reorganization, my room/workspace looked highly pleasing 🥰.
In all, I won 19 ribbons from the Kentucky state fair this year, with two firsts. My baby socks are just as precious each time I see them. My handspun headband was soooo satisfying to see that ribbon, satiny blue, seated atop its gold. I’m starting to think when I get my great wheel I should pick up some more Camaj Fiber Arts Merino Ohh Shiny gold fiber to spin on it so I can pretend to be Rumplestiltskin 😂.
Mom, two days into the fair, prompted me “so whatcha thinkin for next year?…” and I laughed really hard. I was ready to relax for a few months (from fair stuff). However, my mentor has spoken 😂 so I did, yes, start BRAINSTORMING ONLY for next year.
I also had a garden CTJ with myself. Tomatoes love me…? Maaaaaaybe not… well, Champagne Bubbles tomatoes love me. Sadly nothing else does. It’ll make a big huge unmanageable plant, but for some reason I only get Champagne Bubbles tomatoes… so I’m not gonna grow tomatoes next year. Nope. Everybody else does, so I can get them cheap in bulk from the farmers market and can them.
This way I will have more space for better plans. I’m also working hard at my community garden plot. When I got it it was a total 6 feet in every direction weed farm. Im working to get the weeds out again so I can put down cardboard to keep the weeds out now. Then more compost. Workin workin workin day by day.
But now, my focuses are working with alpaca and angora now to perfect a baby sock pattern and then start making some to donate to preemies in the nicu. And focusing on Fall Sale buildup. I’m going to be selling again at the Lawrenceberg Chicken Swap Sept 16, 30, and Oct 14. And I’ll keep everyone updated on those dates!
Hope you all are well—look up, fall is starting ❤️