More from the Fair

 My partner and I went to the Fair the Monday of the fair. My tablet was almost out of battery power so I took pictures with my phone.

I had my car inspected before we left, which took longer than I expected (meh, it happens). After we grabbed lunch, we went to the Birdman show. Due to the sensitivity of the birds, they are a bit distant from the rest of the fair. We had to ask directions twice to find it.

She kept getting distracted by the nearby steam-powered saw mill

Big and pretty. The name is apparently French for tumbler or acrobat, based on the way the eagle's wings move like a tumbler using a balance pole on a high wire. And apparently the bird occasionally just flips into a barrel roll.

Condors are really, really big.

The show was at the NC Forestry Service exhibits.

Noisy, steam powered sawmill.

Yes, this is a video of the sawmill in action. I don't know what they were cutting, but it smelled like oranges.

This was the Osborne Firefinder, the sighting device used by fire spotters to accurately locate fires, triangulating with other fire spotters. It was part of a display about fire towers.

It was such a pretty sky as the sun started to descend.

And the results are....

 One blue ribbon

 

It's always uncertain about my tatted entries in non-tatting categories. But apparently they judges like this one. I really hope the judges left comments.

This is what surpassed my framed piece (the only one in a tatting category). I've done this pattern, although not 4 of them to make 1 doily. It's so pretty, isn't it? I know the tatter and she's really good.

I really thought my hankie would do better. It's size 80 for goodness sakes. But it's not an original pattern so maybe that eliminated it. On the other hand, they did an absolutely lovely job displaying it.

I'm at the fair. Of course, I have to try some fried food. Unlike my younger years, I didn't eat my way from one side of the fair to the other.

I don't know who made this, I'm not even in this category. But it's such a lovely dress.

This was in the garden competition. This one is my fave.

I made a split ring bracelet. I need to find my jewelry findings. The brown color isn't typical for me but I wanted to do something understated.

My tablet (my main 'camera') was low on power so I took photos with my phone camera, too. I just need to download them. I'll save them for next week. And talk about what I photographed.

State Fair season

 The NC State Fair opens at midday on Thursday, October 12th this year. So by the time this posts, the judging should be over.

First, my only entry in a tatting (plus) category, framed non-threaded needlework, which includes tatting, bobbin lace, etc.

My original design in the mixed media jewelry category, Solar Flare. I need to write this up so I can submit to teach it at Palmetto Tat Days.

Heritage craft, tatting edging on a vintage, embroidered hankie. I also added the butterflies (to cover holes in the hankie). This is before I washed and ironed it.

And ornament, tatted snowflake. I have to find where I got this pattern because I don't remember.

Tri-Tatters met/demo'ed at Mordecai on the 4th. We had 1 new person join and another tatter we hadn't seen in ages was able to tat with us. After, Anitra & I went by the fairgrounds to drop of entries (mine & Martha's). 

I have 2 projects now; another hair bun cover (like my failed doily) and writing out the pattern for Solar Flare and tatting another one. 

It's State Fair Prep season

 So I have been finishing my fair entries. I have 4 to submit, and 3 are done other than some final finishing touches. I won't post pictures until after they've been judged, just in case.

Plus, Mom fell down and got hurt so I've been trying to deal with that. Fortunately, there's multiple trains that run between my town and hers, for a bit more than the gas would cost, and the difference is well worth the hassle I've saved. And Dad has been very supportive by giving me a ride from the train station to see Mom. 

Our Pathfinder game progresses (we're playing Dragon's Demand). We scraped by the last combat by the skin of our teeth (and the generosity of the GM). We went somewhere we shouldn't have and ran into a very nasty fight. We totally misread the clues that said 'beware! stay away!' Oops.

Our 5e game also continues. Still don't really know how the combat works. But we've hit a level the GM likes so maybe we'll stay this level long enough to figure it out.

Chris and I started watching Shakespeare and Hathaway. It's a BBC mystery series set in Stratford upon Avon. Frank Hathaway is a private detective and Lu Shakespeare becomes his partner after investing in the agency. A lot of the episode titles are Shakespeare play references or quotes. They feel like Easter eggs for English Lit majors.

Whingeing ahead: maybe it's my Southern upbringing, but is it really hard to wave or say hi as you come into the office in the morning? If you're on your phone, then no, I don't expect a verbal greeting, but a half-hearted wave at least? Yes, I'm talkative, but unless I have something I need to tell you, I won't stop you to chat. I just want acknowledgment of my existence. Studies prove that people are more willing to do things for people they like. So, help me like you more.

(oops, meant to hit publish on Oct 4)

Confronted by ducks while getting take out