This Year'sTrip to the Fryeburg Fair

If you want to read about Maine's Premier Fair, I'll send you *here.* Sometimes I have imagined this post or that here at my blog to be a stellar piece of writing. I confess that I have felt this way about that post. My dear friend commented saying, "0 comments on this?????????" making it the one and only comment. Since she said that last year, I've rather thought that she liked the piece. I suppose, however,  that she could have meant just the opposite. = )

With few comments and some captions, enjoy the pictures. I hope that you'll feel as if you went with me to the fair.

Welcome

Before the Snow Plow Came the Snow Roller

Sorting Cranberries

Salesman's Miniature Stove Sample

Vintage License Plates

Quilt Squares Waiting

Vintage Seed Display

John Enjoys a Chat

One Lunger (A Fairbanks Morse)

An Allis-Chalmers as John Used to Ride Back on the Farm

A Greenhouse on Display

Before 9 in the Morning

Vintage Milk Truck

Nice Raised Bed

Vardo/Gypsy Wagon

 

Vardos Side by Side

All Dressed and Ready to Show

Waiting for the Flower Show to Begin

John Orders Lunch While an Interested Gentleman Listens On

Yorkshires

Chewing on Mama's Tail

My Favorite Apron

Note Quilt of Books

Bat Facts

Quilt Mosaic~The One in the Middle is My Favorite

Over the River Quilt

I hope that you've enjoyed the stroll. Have a great weekend!

A Killing Frost

Since we last chatted, a killing frost has done the inevitable. The night before last, when I knew that it was over, I said goodbye to my morning glory. As I patted the crown of her magnificent head, I began to cry. Can you imagine? Weeping for a morning glory? I told her how much joy she'd given me and how beautiful she was and how much I'd miss her. It was all rather embarrassing. I think I even saw her blush.

John told me that he could understand tears for a morning glory if it were the last one on earth. He assures me that he'll buy me another next spring. Maybe he won't have to as I have saved some seeds and I clipped every bud hoping that they'll open in the house.

In fact, I went around clipping everything to enjoy in the house.

The Easter Cactus is safely in the basement for its month of seclusion. The geranium will become an experiment to see if I can get it to winter over. The green peppers are growing in the living room window and the tenacious poinsettia that my mother gave me for Christmas two years ago is still going. I even brought the earwig laden begonia into the house. I'm probably just asking for trouble with that.

And Debbie at Bungalow had a wonderful suggestion for the herbs, which I hope to do over the weekend. Easy is what I'm looking for and this looks e.a.s.y. ETA: Please read Judy's (My Front Porch) suggestion in comments. Even easier!

We are running errands today so I will be checking in on you later. Promise!

Have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend.

Yes, I'm a Copycat and Proud of It

I haven't felt so much like photoshopping since this crazy post back in 2008.

Though you haven't seen my hair looking very good lately, ahem, and I would never reveal such hair on my own blog, ahem, you may have seen it here and here. I actually keep a folder of hairdos that I really, really like. I know. You're shocked. And when I finally get fed up, I'm ready to grab the scissors myself and start hacking.

This Yesterday morning, first thing, I called my hairdresser and begged for admittance. She was most accomodating and since it was a terribly windy day and no one else in four counties wanted a hairdo on such a blustery day, I could've had my pick of times. I chose 1:30. I then emailed the lovely Carol at Ours Sears Kit Home asking for and receiving permission to use her photo. Thank you, Carol!

Such a Pretty Lady

Isn't that a great cut? Adorable. I loved it and wondered would it work for me?

Just one way to find out — Photoshop! (Sometimes Paint)

Here's a little mosaic showing the process.

Carol's ear is so cute, I even snagged that (her earring, too, of course).

☺ Side by Side Comparison ☺

Hahahhahahahaha...pardon me; sometimes I just crack myself up.

I arrived for my appointment with this photo in hand.

I took copious notes for next time. The figuring? The tip. The stylist spent an hour and a half with me so I tossed in an extra little something.

You will be happy to know that I made an appointment before I left the shop for six weeks hence. A novel idea for me. Now, perhaps, my hair won't get so out of hand.

Thank you for putting up with all this foolishness. It seemed that we might need some lightheartedness today. Have a great one!

Oh. You wanted to see the final result? Here ya go...

My best fashion tip? A camera!

Edited to Add/ October 7 @ 3:15 PM

Better?

I now have two more fashion tips in addition to the camera before the face: 1.sunglasses 2. a turtleneck. Thank you for all the sweet comments. I thought it was the least that I could do to try to get you a better photo. (Course you know, I prefer to remain hidden.)

We're just back from the Fryeburg Fair and so I'll have pictures on Saturday, October 8, if you'd like to return to view them. It's going to be pictures and captions without many comments. Easy viewing!

Crossing Paths

You know the simplest things amaze me like the idea that two people from anywhere on earth can plan to meet at a certain place and time and, if they both keep their respective ends of the bargain, their paths will converge. It totally belies that old Maine expression, "You can't get theah from heah."

Sometimes it takes a lot of planning and a lot of aiming to be "on the same page." Deanna and I knew that we needed to exchange cell phone numbers for sure. ♥Cell phones.♥ What did we ever do without them?

Late Afternoon at the Lake

So there John and I were at the appointed time and place when the phone call came. Exciting! They were about thirty minutes away. We both felt that we had time to head for the nearest apple orchard for a gallon of cider. Thirsty travelers would like a drink we were sure. We were back in twenty minutes with plenty of time to wait those final few moments.

Another call came where just some minor direction tweaks were required. I told them to aim for "Center Street." My accent being what it is, Deanna thought that I meant "Senta Street." ☺☺☺

(Listen, about this accent thing. There are two communities in Maine that have a pronounced Down East accent. John grew up in one of them. [The Rabes traveled through the other on their way to their Maine overnight stay — Turnah.] I had no accent when I married John. None. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.)

Just as my attention span lapsed...

Oh Look at this Rock!

our paths converged!

John Leads the Way to Greet our Guests

Now I had forgotten all about Deanna's birthday, and here she stood with a gift in hand for me. Well, it did feel a little like my birthday, too, what with the excitement and all.

Tea towels and the book God Planted Five Seeds by Jean Dye Johnson. It is the story of missionaries to Bolivia who were slain in 1943. Obviously, Deanna has been paying close attention to my kitchen and my reading of late. Thanks so much for the gifts, Deanna. The tea towels now have a place of honor on my oven door. It's a spot reserved for the very best ones. The book is atop the new reading pile; we're on a roll now.

And here are the Creekside Cottage Kids...

Aren't they a great looking group? Let's see if I can remember their names, they'll correct me if I'm wrong, I'm sure. In the bottom left photo, from left to right front row...Kyle, Sarah, Emily. Back row on either side of Emily are Lindsay and Rachel peeking out around. They were truly very patient. No one wants to have his or her picture taken over and over and my camera is just giving me fits.

Kyle is so cute and well behaved and sweet natured in every way. At one point, as Deanna and I were chatting away, I felt a tug, tug, tug on my sleeve. Kyle politely wanted to know where my family was. By that time, I think he was hoping that I had a kid in the trunk. I said that my family was all grown up and added that I was kind of old. "Yes," he replied thoughtfully, "I can tell." Oh the honesty of children! John and I have laughed and laughed over that. (Pssssst, Kyle, they're right over there in my sidebar.)

Now I left Deanna's beautiful mother and handsome dad out of the picture taking as well as a good friend who was along for the ride. I don't know how used to being blog fodder they are and would not have presumed to decide for them. It was a pleasure, however, to meet them as well. John and Deanna's father had a nice time chatting. You can see a lovely photo of Deanna and her mother on Deanna's post about her Maine visit. (Just ignore the whacky lady wearing green corduroy with her hair flying all around her head. I.am.so.going.to.get.it.lopped. off. The hair not the head.)

This is a sneaky, rotten trick to play on married folks when you aren't sure they are smiling their best or most naturally for you. I play it all the time and I'm going to prove that it works.

Here are Deanna and her husband Tim, a good looking couple if ever there was one...

Pleasant expressions and all. Still... so I said, "Say, you two might try to look as if you loved each other."

See? It never fails!

All too soon our visit was over. Who knows when our paths will converge again? Have a wonderful New England vacation, Creekside Cottagers!

Heading Out in Tandem (See the little red caboose?)

Are Those Two Still Grinning?

Keep Your Eyes Open, Tim!

♪ Happy Trails to you... ♫