Summer’s Last Hurrah

The official first day of fall is ten days away. It might as well be here now. I think I felt it in my heart last weekend. Last Sunday was one of the last really summer-like days I think we will have around here for this year unless there is some big turn around in the forecast that Mama Nature hasn’t let us in on just yet. Knowing it was a day to be appreciated, I took that opportunity to do I-bet-you-know-what:

Enjoyed my lounge chair, soaked up the sun, read a book and appreciated a beautiful blue sky.

The great harbinger of autumn for New England has arrived as well – The Eastern States Exposition, more commonly known as “The Big E”. I have plans to go with my family tomorrow, so hopefully I will have pictures of butter sculptures, wise-cracking animals and delicious bad-for-me food to share with you later in the week.

On my way out to Zumba this morning (had to be sure to exercise today when I am planning to stuff my face tomorrow, lol!), I spotted a couple of rogue morning glories doing their best, like me, to enjoy these waning days of warmth.

How is your September so far? Are you mourning summer’s end or ready to appreciate fall’s glory?

One More from the Big E

A parting shot from the Big E: my two daughters, plus older daughter’s boyfriend, riding the big yellow slide – a perennial favorite at the fair.  I thought my pictures would make a cute slideshow.  In addition to the kids, the faces of the spectators along the stairs are fun too.

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Competition, Big E Style

Well hello there everyone!  Sorry I hadn’t been around much last week; life and such gets in the way sometimes, you know what I mean?  I’ll try to do better this week.  I want to start off this week with my contribution to Scott Thomas’s photo assignment “Competition”. You still have a couple more days to get yours in before the deadline of September 28th if you’d like to participate.

My photos for this assignment are probably one of the most literal interpretations of competition.  Last Sunday, on a most beautiful day, I found myself at the Eastern States Exposition, with a bunch of crazy talking animals!  Locally known as “The Big E,”  it has to be one of the largest state fairs, since it encompasses all six New England States.  There is a dedicated fairground located in West Springfield, MA, and for 17 days each fall it is transformed into a cornucopia for the senses.  For me, the only real competition was among the food vendors for what I was going to eat first! (Neglectfully, I did not photograph these items.  😦 I’m sorry folks, that could have been its own blog post!)

I realized after reviewing my photos from the day, the competitions I chose to photograph happened to be of some of my own interests or hobbies.  I swear I didn’t do it on purpose – it seemed to happen subconsciously!  I photographed a quilt competition:

A growing competition:

I think the biggest pumpkin was 653 pounds!

An animal competition (I believe this was for children ages 9-12 and their horses were displaying trotting and jumping)

And would you believe, a photography competition!

This particular group was a youth competition – I thought they showed some nice promise.

Get your competition shots posted soon, everyone!  I’ll look forward to seeing your takes – and thanks as always to Scott for hosting the photo assignment.

 

 

Crazy Talk at the Farm-o-Rama

“Hey, you know what my mama always told me?”

“Be sure to chew with your mouth open.”

“No, I’m quite sure that is not what she said.  You can believe the word of an animal with horizontal pupils.”

“Psst, psst… over here… I don’t trust anyone with horizontal pupils!”

“When someone asks How-do-you-do, just say that you don’t.”

“How do I do?  How do I do?  I’ve got egg shell stuck to my butt!  How do you think I do?”

“Could you all just keep it down?  I’m trying to sleep!”

“Well, I never!  What a rude little piglet!  I flare my nostrils in disgust!”

“Nostrils? You call them nostrils?  Check these babies out!”

“Horizontal pupils, giant nostrils and egg-butts? Beam us up Scotty, the life around here is just a little too strange.”