The hot days of
August had arrived in our little part of
Pennsylvania and
everyone was talking about taking exhibits to
the fair. A coveted blue ribbon
was on so many minds.
The young members
of FFA (Future Farmers of America) had their
prized animals
that they wanted to show. Some were showing what
looked like mega-sized hogs
with litters of tiny pigs that had cute curly
tails. There were horses of many
breeds along with their young ponies.
Carefully groomed
cows that were laying in their stall and looking
at you with enormous beautiful brown eyes,
goats that tried to get your attention so that
you would spend a quarter to give them a
hand full of feed that was just right for their
taste. As you meandered through the
livestock area you could see the blue ribbons
fluttering in the gentle breeze just above
the prized exhibit.
As we continued ,
we saw beautiful hand stitched quilts,
embroidered linens, crocheted items and of
course the prized blue ribbons that hung above
each category. We moved to the area that my
Step-Mom liked to look at...The preserved foods.
There were fruits of every kind and quart
jars filled with vegetables and pint jars
filled with luscious jellies and
preserves.
The scent of
freshly cooked hot dogs drifted over the fair
grounds and it didn't matter what direction
you walked, the wonderful aroma followed you as
if pleading for you to buy them. My folks
always treated me to one while they chose home
cooked turkey sandwiches as their tasty
treat.
There were men calling to you
to throw three balls for $1.00 and win a stuffed
toy. I watched in wide eyed wonder at a
Dunking Booth where someone would hit a target
with a ball & a person inside a mesh
cage would fall into the water. They did this
time after time. My little girl eyes must
have thought I was in
Wonderland.
When it was time to leave
for home, my Dad always let me have a big cone
of Cotton Candy. I would watch the sugar
being spun into the most delicious, sticky
concoction I could imagine.
What
a wonderful time for a little girl to enjoy and
a precious memory to think about many years
later.
The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree:
he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Those that be planted in the house of the LORD
shall flourish in the courts of our God.
They shall still bring forth fruit in old age;
they shall be fat and flourishing;
To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock,
and there is no unrighteousness in him.
