It’s like clockwork – we can always smell the corn when it’s fair time! I’m sitting in the porch enjoying the cooler air after the thunderstorm we had this afternoon. Here are some pictures I took at the fair which starts next week. Not only do I allow the fair board to drape the quilts over the filthy crossbeams, I let them staple through the binding to hang them – all for the good of a wonderful small town fair! The hanging quilts are a big attraction in the textile building – it gives people something to look at.
And here’s the fork lift driver’s shirt that says it all!
I went to the Elvis movie last night – it was so sad.
This eerie photo was taken last night when a storm went south of us.
Coming home from the fair, I saw this great little tree – dead with branches trimmed off to hang plotted plants and bird feeders from.
Millie actually allowed herself to lay in the cat tree.
Reader quilts:
I told Chris I’d like to change the Dirty Dozen rules to include a picture of the maker with the quilt so we can see what our friends look like! She said her husband Brad made her get in the picture and I love the idea!!!
I bought the rock cairn in Duluth, MN.
Pattie Weber – thank you for your first travel installment for all of us to keep track of you and your dogs. You are living my dream of a rescue farm! How did your transports go? Don’t forget to tell us about your stay at the rescue! Maybe a picture? (Send to my email.)
Thanks Mary for your kind comments ! I’d love to see all of our quilting friends too !! Makes it seem closer to each other even though we are states apart . By the way , I guess I already have a white creamer cow : it’s right next to the first one my mom gave me in the ‘70s ! DUH !!! I just took them all down too and gave them a bath 😆
Nice to see you, Chris! Love your quilt! : ) And your cow creamer collection.
Best, Jeanne
Thanks !
Are those all your quilts at the fair? Lovely display. Haven’t been to a fair in many years but the quilts were always my first stop. So American!
Maryjane – yes, all the quilts I hung and showed you are just some of my quilts and I don’t mind sharing them for the fair visitors. I’ve been doing this for 3 years now and I try to take different ones each year.
WOW, makes me want to take a special trip to Iowa!!
Question….do you come home with as many as you take?
Beautiful
I guess so – that’s one reason I take pictures – so I can remember what I take over there. They would be hard to get down and the building is closed up every night. Did you mean possible stealing?
Yep…, or possibly just walking away.
Hi Mary, l hope you enjoyed the Elvis movie, it was wonderful the way l felt the whole range of emotions, from fun to tears, Baz is a great director, strictly balroom is another of his best movies. We had a, lot of rain and wind last week, blew the neighbors window out, but settled the last couple of days.lhope you enjoy the fair, take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
The quilts are beautiful and I think it’s great of you to share them like that! When you say that you can smell the corn, does that mean you can smell it while it’s still growing in the field? Does that mean that it’s ready to harvest soon. Living in south Texas, I don’t think we get good corn very often. I grew up in the Midwest and I’m kinda picky about my sweet corn!
Jill Klop – I don’t know what it is but the corn starts to tassel and soon after that I can smell the actual corn in the hot muggy weather that corn loves! The kernels must be starting to develop and with the humidity in the air I can smell it – as if it were in the kitchen.
We saw the Elvis movie today. I also thought it was sad. I learned a lot I didn’t know about his life. It makes me not want to be rich and famous. I through the young actor did a great job playing Elvis.
I think a picture to go along with the reader quilts is a great idea! When I read the comments, it would be great to have a face to go with the comment or the quilt. Is this a county fair? You called it a little fair and I know the state fair is massive. It’s been so many years since I’ve gone to it. Last year a friend from here in ‘Vermont flew out to go to the fair because the Doobie Brothers were playing. He enjoyed the fair and being in Iowa.
Love seeing pictures of your place, its so pretty. The Elvis movie was sad, but it was a very good movie! Your quilts at the fair look great. The monsoon is finally coming to the NV desert, we could sure use the rain.
The quilts are beautiful, both yours and the readers. I like the fish quilt very much. I have a lot of good memories of that little fair, including 4-H projects, church food booths, the animals, and my mother and her friends’ entries in the flower show. That fair isn’t really so little, as compared to county fairs here in SW Ohio.
Beryl BC – the quilt show shares the building with the flowers and the Open Textile Show. When it became a District Fair a few years ago they included other open shows like the textiles so it isn’t just 4H now.
Wow..the quilt display at the fair is wonderful!
Mary, I would expect no less for you to have your quilts hung at the county fair!!!!! Absolutely beautiful. I’m sure that a great many people will marvel at your creations. And just think about your “new” modern colors?? It just isn’t anybody that can be so productive. The next best thing is how they hang them. Everybody needs a fork lift? I assume a fair employee gets to stand in the bucket to hang them? What a beautiful display. And that isn’t even a drop in the bucket?? The next question is where do you store everything? Really tall piles?
Are there a lot of people around your area who quilt? I know lots of us from many miles away came to visit. Did the local ladies come, too?
And life goes on. Take care, everybody. Betty in Rapid City
I love going to county fairs and never miss the arts & crafts displays. Your quilts are stunning hanging for all to enjoy, Wow! We used to sit down to dinner and eat nothing but corn, it was heaven. Sometime there would bread on the table. I miss those meals. Lovely quilts from your readers and it’s nice to have a face to go with the quilt. I have not seen the Elvis movie and not sure I will. I have been to his birthplace in Tupelo, Mississippi and also his place in Memphis. I did not grow up loving his music, but I do know who he is. They say that Tom Hanks plays a good version of Colonel Parker.
I understand weather in the Midwest was pretty bad this afternoon and evening. I hope all is well now! We finally had some rain as the sun was setting—lightning lit up the evening here. Stay safe!!
Seeing your quilts at the fair is one of my favorite things Mary!!
Yes it is my favorite part of fair seeing all the quilts hanging up there.
Your quilts are beautiful hanging up there in the rafters, Mary. People will love seeing them. Wish I could go to your fair.
Chris…I love your salmon quilt. It has a very Alaskan feel to it. Love your little animal collection too. And, Jeanne, your Undersea Garden quilt is fabulous. Antelope Canyon is amazing. So fun to see them.
Thanks ! It was fun to make 🙂
Your quilts are beautiful hanging from the rafters
I didn’t know the balanced stacks of rocks called Rock Cairn had special meanings. 💕
Debby in Wisconsin
Debby – what’s the meaning of a rock cairn?
Google…Rock Cairn. There are many different meanings to stacking the rocks. I want to have 2 Rock Cairns on top on a fieldstone wall with split rails on each end in front of my house…curb appeal.
The quilts look great hanging in the barn! Love the forklift driver’s shirt! Glad Millie is using the cat tree. Maybe she saw the kids playing on it and decided it would be fun. 😊
I was wondering how the heck they got those quilts up there….thanks for the pic. You are a gem to bring all those quilts and have them hung, staples and all. They really do look pretty adorning the building’s ceiling. It brought back memories of your farm and the quilt shop.
Darlynn – oh, thank you, Darlynn!
Love the hanging quilts! I love our fair after Labor Day. It is in Sandwich, Il.
I just saw “Where the Crawdads Sing”….I loved the book and now I have loved the movie.
Oh, Mary. You did it again. I laughed out loud at that t-shirt. I love it!!!
Your quilts look great, Mary! What a gift to all the fair goers!
Thanks Mary for helping make our textile building a place at the fair a place everyone should visit.
Is the fair you are talking about the one in Mason City? We went to that every year while I was growing up. That is another thing I miss. I love the salmon quilt. We just got back from a cruise in Alaska. We learned so many things about the state and also many things about salmon and how important it is to Alaska’s economy.
Gwen – actually the fair I’m talking about is the Hancock County District Fair in Britt – I think the Mason City fair is actually smaller than this one now.
I have gone to the Johnson County fair in Iowa, off and on through the years. But my best memories are of the Hancock County fair. It is so nice you share your quilts for all to see and enjoy. I remember the Born in a Barn phrase. My Mom would say it when we left a door open, ” Close the door, we weren’t born in a barn.” I wonder how many renditions or situations for use of that phrase the readers have used or heard over the years.
I did get to take a lot of pictures this am but no time to send yet. I am busy behind the scenes today and leaving at 7 tomorrow morning to transport about 10 dogs to the medical college at UGA in Athens, GA. For various surgeries. I sure am enjoying getting to see firsthand all the amazing work done here.
Pattie W – we should all realize how much work goes on at a rescue! I appreciate the people who run the rescues along with all their volunteers – they don’t get enough recognition!
Beautiful display. The quilts at our local county fair are always one of my favorite exhibits. I also love the 4H exhibits. My kids were in 4H, it was a great experience for our whole family. Hoping that the frosting on the cake didn’t melt before judging and that the varnish on the birdhouse would dry in time! Takeing ice bottles out to keep the rabbit comfortable in their cage. Wonderful memories.
I’m dealing with sciatica so don’t know if I’ll attend next weekend but my husband will go for sure.
So much has been said about your gorgeous quilts, I totally agree! Your fantastic barn photo causes me to say how wonderful it is, Mary. From the geese to the lighting in the sky, the fading away to darkness in the left frame, I love it!
Remarkable showing of quilts in the barn rafters for the fair! What an awesome idea! Always enjoy hte quilts shown by your readers!
What a quilt show! Love the quilts hanging in the rafters.
Readers quilts are fun too. I have the Antelope Canyon pattern in my file of to be made quilts. And the fish quilt and the salmon quilt too. All so neat. I’ll see if Gary will take my picture with the two little wall quilts I just finished.
I’m back from the Hill Country trip with my sisters. Next year we’re staying an extra day – yippee!
Enjoy your day 🤗