The Eye of the Beholder: Stafford County Fair

This was probably my favorite photo from our trip to Glacier National Park last year. I know that's a bold statement. But I loved the contrast of the bright and colorful fiberglass kayaks against the moody, overcast sky of Two Medicine Lake. Jill and Susan loved it, too. However, I liked a lot of the photos I took from our nation's breathtaking National Parks. Case in point: I filled a whole book with photos from that trip.

However, the judge at the Stafford County Fair last week had a different one he/she preferred. (I'm going to go with "they" because I don't know whether they were male or female). I got a white - or third in the class - with the photo of the bright kayaks. 

But they gave me Reserve Grand Champion on this black-and-white version of a photo I took at Jenny Lake at the Grand Teton National Park. 

Don't get me wrong: I like this one, too. I also like the color version, which I also entered. So did the judge. I got a blue on it, too. 

 

But it does demonstrate how "judging" and "subjective" should be in the same sentence. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It's never more true than when you enter photos in a county fair.

As always, I entered a bunch of photos in the open class division of the Stafford County Fair last week. I've admitted here before: It's not a money-making proposition. In fact, I'm confident I lose money by the time I pay for enlargements and mat boards. (Not that he ever complains, but I tell Randy that my hobby is cheaper than his hobby, so I still come out ahead).

I felt like I had fewer to choose from this year. But, as I analyzed that feeling, I came to the conclusion that I usually feel that way. Admittedly, I have fewer photos for the "agriculture" category. But our travels gave me more "scenic" and "nature" photos than I could use.

 

This blue ribbon winner was from Crystal Bridges in Bentonville, Ark.

This black-and-white print was also from Two Medicine Lake, showing the fast-moving, low clouds that were the backdrop for our morning there. It, too, got a blue.

So did this photo I took of the Big Boy steam locomotive during its stop in Salina last fall.

 I didn't have to travel quite as far to get this blue-ribbon winner - looking through a kaleidoscope at the Vernon Filley Art Museum in Pratt. 

But a couple of my blue-ribbon winners were taken in my own yard - literally.

I got a blue on the book I made for Randy after our Eureka Springs/Bentonville trip:

 

And I got second place on my National Parks book. (Again, I would have flipped the ribbons, but what do I know?) 

As I've said many times before, I don't enter at the fair for the ribbons or the premium money. But entering in the fair helps keep this rural American tradition alive. Sure, it's fun to see how your artistic eye stacks up against your neighbors. But it's even better to have a place to wander around and reconnect with people from across the county who you don't see on a weekly basis. You can't beat that! I've been doing that since I was a 4-Her in Pratt County several decades ago. 

Two of the photos I really liked didn't get a ribbon at all. I should learn my lesson: My bird photos and sunrise/sunset photos - or, I guess, Northern Lights ones - never fare well. 

I know how much time and effort - and unusable clicks of the camera - went into getting this shot of our backyard visitor. And it's not every day that you can see the Northern Lights without leaving home.  

I wasn't the only photographer in the family this year. Kinley will find out what color ribbons she'll get on her 4-H photography this week at the Shawnee County Fair in Topeka. We've worked together on that project for the past three years, but this year, she didn't need much help. I brought the needed supplies to Topeka to get the photos mounted, but she took the photos and mounted them herself. I guess that's the goal as a mentor: You're supposed to work yourself out of a job. 

I have not yet worked myself out of the 4-H foods superintendent job. Last year was my 30th year working with 4-H foods, many of them as superintendent. That volunteer job is more important than any ribbons I accumulate, I hope.

I wasn't the only family competitor at the Stafford County Fair this year. Randy entered garden produce and got a red on his pears and a blue for his longest zucchini. 

Really, we've both been winners with his work in the garden this summer. Well, for everything except tomatoes. Those have been a bust. We always joke when we go through the checkout at the garden store each spring whether the investment in vegetable seedlings will pay off. That remains to be seen, I guess. But garden-fresh produce is always a win. 

New Tool for the Old Gardener

 

Some "well-seasoned" men buy sports cars. My husband bought a rototiller. (I much prefer my husband's approach to life. Some of those sports car men also trade in their old-model wives.)

ANYWAY, as we transition from full-time farm life to retirement, Randy envisions more time in the garden. As I wrote earlier this year, he used a whole lot of organic fertilizer and old hay bales, trying to enrich the soil at our garden site. I was convinced he was a little overenthusiastic with his application of fertilizer, and it would make it too "hot." 

While some things seem to be doing OK, some of the plants may have sided with my point of view. (Thankfully, the tomatoes seem to be surviving so far.) Well, there's always next year. 

He also purchased worms for the garden plot. (Click HERE for that post.)

 

 Evidently they didn't do everything to aerate the soil because Randy also purchased a new rototiller. 

It's a better machine than the hand-me-downs we've used in the past.

 

The salesman told him, "It's the Cadillac of rototillers. Your grandchildren will use it." (I'm sure they will standing in line for that particular inheritance.)

I guess salesmen are salesmen no matter what they are pitching.

My favorite part about the rototiller? Randy runs it and not me.

 

NOTE: These garden photos were taken May 31, but I've had other posts to make. We do have a few tomatoes setting on. However, wheat harvest is the focus these days, so the gardening will take a back seat for right now.

 
 

New Livestock Trend on The County Line

 

We've spent plenty of money on livestock through the years. But I'm not sure I ever anticipated spending money on worms. 

Yep, worms!

I will keep the hit to the bank account confidential. (You're welcome, Randy.) And the 2,000 Red Composting Worms are the BEST RATED, after all. It says so right on Uncle Jim's Worm Farm's website in capital letters. And, just like an infomercial: Get 1,000 live mealworms absolutely FREE with your order!

I wonder what the FedEx delivery guy thought. Hmmmm ...

I know what my resident farmer/gardener thought: He had visions of giant tomatoes and squash dancing in his head. (Who needs sugarplums?)

Randy's quest for the best garden on the section actually started earlier. In late September, he dumped straw from a bale onto the garden spot, along with more hay from the nearby calving shed. I wondered out loud about the weeds and seeds inherent in the straw. But, really, what do I know?

He added some quality "organic matter" from our cattle lots in October.

It looked like plenty to me.

Is there such a thing as too much of a good thing? 

He had me take photos because he wanted to send them to his friends. (I prefer photos of cute calves, but to each his/her own.) After it settled for awhile, he decided to add worms to the mix. I have to admit this blurb from the website (complete with interesting capitalization) made me laugh out loud - for real!

Now let’s face it! You probably aren’t the average Guy or Gal if you’re interested in worm composting! You’re obviously environmentally aware, economically savvy and eccentrically right on target. After all, it’s not like purchasing toothpaste, toilet paper or groceries…

Okay, so you're not the average Work-A-Day, Head in the Clouds, Normal Sort of Person. You've seen some kind of Earthly, Organic, Natural Potential in Red Worms... Check this list of these Nature's Wonder Workers' Uses and Benefits and you'll see just how insightful you truly are. Possibly a little Strange, but None-The-Less, Insightful.

From Uncle Jim's Worm Farm's website

With this ringing endorsement from Uncle Jim, how could he resist?

Adding Red Wigglers and European Nightcrawlers to your lawn, garden or compost pile is one of the smartest and most environmentally friendly things you'll ever do. Why? Because their castings are one of nature's finest plant nutrients: 7 times richer in phosphates, 5 times richer in nitrogen and 11 times richer in potash than the average lawn soil. On average, each worm will produce their body weight in castings every day. Worms can double their population every 90 days.

And, according to Uncle Jim, you can never have too many worms. Worms naturally will lay less eggs as their population becomes too dense within an area. 

The Red Wigglers and the mealworms came in two separate sacks, along with colorful flyers about handling the new "livestock" on the farm.

We've experienced plenty of wind advisories, severe weather advisories, winter weather advisories and the like ... but this was a first for a Worm Advisory (complete with two exclamation points)!!

Randy didn't waste time adding his new wiggly friends to the garden spot in early December.

Jill's father-in-law (and our friend), Alan, says Randy's giant compost pile could provide a little supplemental retirement income. It sure looks to me like there is plenty of organic material to go around ... especially after all those worms do their work!

In the Eye of the Beholder

A Time to Think

Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature–the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.

 –Rachel Carson

That was a message from an email devotional I saved awhile back. I thought about it again as I looked through photos I've taken in the past couple of weeks.

There is beauty to be found far off the beaten path ...

Down a dirt road in Central Kansas

 

... and in carefully-cultivated gardens.

Ted Ensley Gardens, Topeka, KS

 

Lake Shawnee - Topeka

It's just a matter of taking time to appreciate them - whether a man-made lake ...

... or a lazy tributary to a Kansas river in the middle of nowhere.

 

One recent evening, we drove to the Ninnescah pasture to check cattle and fences. That mission accomplished, I asked to stop at the bridge to watch the water gently ruffle the grasses along the banks.

A closer look revealed that other creatures also enjoy a water view!

Then I asked for the drive home to include a road nestled between century-old trees.

The light wiggled its way through the green canopy of trees, leaving a lackadaisical pattern of light and shadows. 

 

There was no one around except for an overflow crowd of mosquitoes. 

But as much as I enjoy the simply beauty of a Kansas country road, I can appreciate well-cultivated gardens. (Not that I find those at home!)

Maybe my pleasure in being at the Ted Ensley Gardens in Topeka had just as much to do with the company I was keeping!

It's getting easier to capture good photos of the girls.

Brooke - almost 6

 

Kinley - 8 1/2

This time, I was more interested in photographing people than flowers. (See another flower-forward visit to Ted Ensley Gardens at this link.)

 These three had to stop at every map to make a plan.

I wasn't the only one being inspired by the setting. Kinley carefully arranged her little sister for a snapshot. 

And she snapped plenty of photos on her mom's phone so she could show her dad, who stayed behind to mow.

 

But she also borrowed my camera for a few shots. I'm thinking 4-H photography may be in her future!

I did manage to find a couple of non-human creatures in the gardens. A butterfly didn't seem to care that I wanted it to alight on the flowers for a still shot. Most of my efforts captured the blur of its wings. But I did manage to get one in focus - though it certainly wouldn't win any prizes. 

     

The squirrel was too busy eating to worry about what I was doing.

While we enjoyed the sidetrip to the gardens, our trip to Topeka was mainly a mission to deliver desks for the girls. The girls' school will begin with a combination of in-person and online learning. Brooke and the next door neighbor will begin kindergarten in the playroom on their stay-at-home days. They have plans to add a colorful border of letters above their desks.

And, by the time we left, Kinley already had some items on the desk she'll use at home to begin third grade.

Bonus? The desks were free. You can't beat that - especially since it seems that desks are the new "toilet paper" of the pandemic, as Jill says. 

Maybe that devotional would come in handy for students, parents and teachers trying to navigate this new way of doing things. It's worth looking for beauty everywhere - from unmanicured roads to tended gardens to the people in our path.