Friday 21 July 2017

Inspiration in the Show Pavilion

I could spend hours in the pavilion at our local show. The others leave me to wander through happily while they go to find their own bliss. (Rides and ice-cream, of course!) All the homegrown fruits and vegetables, baking, crafts, paintings, photographs and flowers displayed on trestle tables, prize ribbons adorning some but not most, are just so inspiring to me. Here are some of the interesting entries that I found in the pavilion at my local show this year:

A prize winning, knobbly pumpkin.

A spiralling rug knitted from material reclaimed from old T-shirts.

Wedges of delicious shortbread ... I think the judges must have sampled a few!

Lovely colours in pretty crochet work.

A little circle of ripe red cherry tomatoes.

Jars of lemon and passionfruit butters. Mmm! 

A sweet little handmade doll.

A cushion made from repurposed denim. Complete with pocket!

A juicy homegrown grapefruit.

Vibrant crewel embroidery work. 

Gorgeous and fragrant blooms in their individual "vases".

There are so many talented people who live in our community! I always leave with a lots of ideas of what I'd like to grow or make or cook or learn. 

Do you go along to your local community's annual show or fair too?

Meg


15 comments:

  1. I'll join you in the pavilions Meg. My daughter and I went to our local show last year, visited the pavilions for quite a long time and then walked home. We went purely for the displays. I'm currently reading a wonderful book 'The Australian Blueribbon Cookbook'. Each recipe has a photo of the entrant and a little about them plus judges tips. Great book.
    Kylie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'd love to read that book, Kylie. I'll see if my local library has it. Thanks! Meg:)

      Delete
  2. I have loved "The Show" since I was a little girl. It started in my home town, every year I would beg to be taken to the Milton Show, and I just loved everything about it from the animals to the pavilions!

    Now I love my towns annual show just as much. Funny, they just advertised their early bird ticket sales this week, frugal indeed to purchase tickets in advance.

    I won the fruit cake competition 2 years ago...and best in show (major brag I know, but I've never won anything in my life!) I couldn't enter last year, because we were at Uluru, so I've got to get practicing to defend my title!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. All the best with defending that title, Cheryl. Your family must love show time as chief taste testers of those practice fruit cakes! Our local show has a very reasonably family entry price and we take some of our own food with us to minimise that cost. Though, we always get the bbq burgers for dinner that we eat round the big bonfire while listening to the bush band...can't beat that! Meg:)

      Delete
    2. Congratulations Cheryl, well done.
      Kylie

      Delete
  3. My kids entered a painting each a few years ago into that show. They didn't win anything however we all enjoyed the experience. Those little tomatoes look great.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love looking at all the artworks, particularly children's art because I taught young children for a long time. I love to see how they represent and interpret their world. Meg:)

      Delete
  4. I love our small town annual show Meg.
    It's been a huge part of my childhood..I remember my mum up well before daylight baking sponges in the old wood stove (she always did well) and mym always had knitting and sewing in as well as many other enteries.
    The last two years I have put up a preserving display and entered preserves and garden produce..next year I intend to enter the photography section.... You certainly found some beautiful exhibits/enteries. I hope country shows never die.
    Cheers
    Jane

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think country shows are something special too, Jane. It's a tradition for our little family, we have an early lunch here at home and then go out to the show where we stay until after the fireworks. We love it! This year, my husband and I both felt that there were more people at the show which is wonderful for the community. Meg:)

      Delete
  5. I used to love that about The EKKA but that seems to be all about sideshow alley now. Will need to go to the smaller show's instead.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Our little show is not too big, not too small but just right! We always go on the Saturday so we can finish our day with bbq, bonfire and the fireworks...and a ferris wheel ride at night! Meg:)

      Delete
  6. So many treasures to be found at local shows. I feel like I'm peering into what the community, takes a lot of pride and joy in. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, it's lovely to see what people are growing and baking and making in the community. So many entries which I think is a lovely thing. Meg:)

      Delete
  7. Goodmorning Meg,
    I grew up in Gympie and I have wonderful memories of going to the show every year. Mum would dress us up in our best and we would go and look through all the cooking, preserves and fruit and veg displays. We would buy fairy floss and a candy apple and have a ride on the big Ferris wheel, what lovely memories. Have a lovely day.
    Fi

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What lovely memories you have, Fiona, of going to the show with your family. It's a lovely tradition! We have our Ferris Wheel ride at night and it's wonderful to be up high, looking out over the lights and the mountains beyond. Meg:)

      Delete