Monday, January 19, 2015

the fair


we did so many things on the homestead; hand-carved olive wood serving pieces, various sizes of brass dairy cow bells and hand-tooled collars, shaker style nesting baskets and chairs and repairs on any manner of thing, but the reason we were there in the back country was the animal rescue- we needed the room. we had certification to take in everything from abandoned lynx kits to llamas and our old truck was always transporting the most urgent case along with us on daily errands into town. on this annual town fair day, our passenger was an old black and white one-eyed mama barn cat who had just undergone the amputation of a rear leg and was about to throw (her last...) litter of kittens. the old cat had apparently spent her life in a tipped over 1920's metal trash basket- and that was where she was the most comfortable. we'd cleaned it up, lined it with a soft, toasty plush and tucked her in on the wide floor boards of the truck with food and water within easy reach. in spite of everything she'd been through, she purred madly and i'd already decided she could live out the rest of her days with us after the kittens had all found homes.

while simon drove, i kept one hand on the 5 tier pie carrier sitting beside me. in it were the prettiest pies i could manage, made from apples, berries and stone fruit from our land. it didn't matter to me if i got a ribbon for any of them but i was dying to hear the 'oohs and ahhs' from our neighbors as they dug in.

as we pulled into town i felt a huge smile form on my lips. strung across the main street were the carefully kept old fashioned banners used from the very first fair and everyone looked in a festive mood. i felt so happy. simon slowed as he looked for the perfect spot under a tree that would throw shade on the truck for the entire day (the cat) and also be fairly close so we could easily check on her often.

simon carried the pies and we held hands as we walked toward the main street greeting all our seldom seen friends and neighbors. as we walked, i spotted a vintage trash can just like the one our mama cat was in, but this one was in better condition. i made a deal to buy it and right then used the sellers supplies to paint golden fleurs-de-lis inside and out with her name (tallow) written in fancy script on top. i told him i would pick it up as we left the fair to give it time to dry.

as we came to the center of town, people began to congratulate us on being one of 3 finalists for an additional hundred acres of land. it was such a surprise. the other two finalists were there and i knew i would be happy no matter who won.


12 Comments:

At January 26, 2015 at 8:45 AM , Blogger Greenpa said...

I'm just sitting here with a slight smile, head waggling back and forth, going 'jeezusmaryandjoseph - how did all this get into her head in the first place???" - let alone come back out in strangely cohesive fashion? :-)

Very current considerations for me; see; my book is just out- and getting really good 'blurbs' - and now there are all these people who are looking at me expecting me to say something sensible. And just how does one do that? I love your dream seaweeds.

 
At February 2, 2015 at 9:28 AM , Blogger shandra beri said...

Send me a link to where I can buy your book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 
At February 2, 2015 at 5:47 PM , Blogger Greenpa said...

Ah, but then I would be outed! :-) (I think?) And it's pretty dry technical stuff... :-) Any ideas for secret private pathways? lol

 
At February 4, 2015 at 2:36 PM , Blogger Greenpa said...

Oh, c'mon, how many chances do I get to be coy, at my age? :-)

 
At March 5, 2015 at 11:06 AM , Blogger shandra beri said...

I don't care! I'll buy it and then send it to your P.O. box for you to autograph! :)

 
At March 14, 2015 at 1:21 PM , Blogger Greenpa said...

hm. no giggling.

Growing
Hybrid

Hazelnuts (and no telling. :-) )

 
At March 14, 2015 at 2:12 PM , Blogger shandra beri said...

Growing Hybrid Hazelnuts: The New Resilient Crop for a Changing Climate

Ordered! (I loved your calming commentary on your hazelnut peeling videos, you should read bedtime stories as a sideline!)

:)))

 
At March 15, 2015 at 8:13 AM , Blogger Greenpa said...

:-)
That would be "chestnut peeling". :-) You're not alone in the cross-pollinating; I work with both, long term, and another is just hitting public awareness, hickory-pecans (NOT "hiccans"; bad word...) Well, I'm all bashful. Out of the closet, for you! There are only a few folks who "know"... :-) All silly, but. As with all closet openings, a bit of a relief, but ...

 
At March 15, 2015 at 8:16 AM , Blogger Greenpa said...

Oh, and- I will be very seriously interested in your reactions to reading it. Haven't read it, myself; and at that point where I'm really not sure what I said, let alone what my co-authors said.

 
At March 15, 2015 at 8:41 AM , Blogger shandra beri said...

Oh, of course! I had just ordered your book (had to do a bit of detective work to figure out if it was you!) and then I ran across your video and was so hypnotized listening to narrate while your wife nimbly demonstrated that I simply married the two nuts!

I was actually on the edge of my seat as she cut the 'x' hahaha! It looked like impending doom! I was SO RELIEVED that you had worked something else out!

:D

 
At March 15, 2015 at 8:50 AM , Blogger shandra beri said...

Can't wait to read it!!!!! :)

 
At July 1, 2015 at 7:37 AM , Blogger Greenpa said...

Hey, there. You're spooking me out. :-) Give me a sign.

I'm figuring either you read my book and decided to self terminate, or achieved satori and are now above all this... worries me!

 

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