The results are in...

We went to the grange fair on Wednesday night and had a ball. I seriously love going there each year. There's just so much energy to be found at a fair. The smell of a funnel cake alone makes me feel like all is well in the world. Talk about good, clean fun!


Before I post the results of our winnings, I just had to poke fun at a few of the items that DID get ribbons that were just down right awful...I'm not sure if they had blind judges this year or what...I'll let you decide....

This was what my little arrangement in the boot was competing with...and mine didn't even get a ribbon...

Is it just me, or is this horribly unoriginal and bland? And what's with the mug? Seriously!

THIS got first prize for the arrangement in a cookie box category? How did that even come to BE a category? Ca'mon people! Get some taste already!

So Jake got a blue ribbon for his bark poster...(my bruised brow bone is healing nicely)

Ellie came in first for the sand art category...

My marjoram won a blue ribbon

As did the basil

and scented geranium

Brian's spaghetti squash won 1st prize!

As well as the hot banana peppers

and the wax yellow beans

Reilly's cute bean flower won 2nd prize!

As did the peppermint

and butterfly bush specimen (not to be confused with a urine speciman)

my hybrid lily came in 3rd

As did the hybrid tea rose

and the apricot colored climbing rose

the lemon thyme took 3rd

as well as the parsley

and sage

the india relish won 4th place

and last but not least, the zucchini bread that I was certain was undercooked, won 5th place...(I think they had the same person judging this as that arrangement in a mug!)

(they probably just felt sorry for me)

All in all, it was another good year at the fair...

We got to see the baby chicks that had just hatched in the day...

and we had fun looking at all the animals...

this one bunny was a real show stopper...he looked like a mop!

We never could find his face! Can you imagine being that furry?

Dear funnel cake...will you marry me? yes or no (circle one)

Sue, my old roommate from NY was there with her husband and son. It was great to catch up with her while we watched the kids go on rides...I could just kick myself for not getting a self portrait of the two of us! We were just too distracted--

Sue and I both used to fly international. Often times, we would bid to work on the same flights together. We were reminiscing about the good old days. We talked about our Brussels layovers and how delicious those Belgium waffles from the street vendors used to taste and how tan we used to get in Rio. It's hard to imagine that we had that kind of life at one time. But we both agreed that nothing compared to the life we're living now, with our husbands and children and the sweet simplicity that everyday life brings...

Truly, life is good!

***Do you think that hideous mug arrangement deserved a ribbon?

***Do you enjoy going to fairs?

***What's your favorite fair food?

S'more random thoughts...

So here is the sight we've been seeing everyday...11 teenage mallard ducks integrating with 3 pekins and a khaki campbell (who, by the way, went from being named "Penny" to "Hershey" when a certain tail feather started curling a few weeks ago). It was then that we realized that "she" was a "he"...(the tails of drakes curl when they reach maturity)...I don't know why I didn't recognize that he was a male by the sound of his quack...it was distinctly male, but never registered to me...

I was hesitant at first to feed the little mallards, but I called Aark wildlife and they said that it was alright to give them food. They will eventually fly away in the fall. I've heard that the females always fly back to the place they were raised to lay their eggs...we'll have to wait to see if this is true. That could make for some pretty interesting pond happenings.

P.S.--Jake actually took this photo. It was one of the ones he entered into the Grange Fair...

Whenever I see pictures like this one, I can't help but think of the contrast to my life in an apartment in NYC 10 years ago...this is pretty good livin', I'd say...

FYI: Rita's has a new flavor!...SWEDISH FISH! I treated the kids and myself to water ices...(I of course, got the swedish fish flavored gelati--custard layered with water ice)...AMAZING!

True, Utah has mountains, be we've got Rita's baby!

Brian took the kids to Cabella's a few weeks ago and they bought this awesome fire pit thingy--I don't know the official name, but what I do know is that I love it! I've been so excited to use it!

We had our first chance to fire it up last Friday night when we promised the kids we'd camp out with them. I love the smell of a campfire! I love the way my hair smells after being around a campfire! Maybe it's because I'm so in love with the fall that it reminds me of that or something.

As far as the camping out thing went, I made it until about midnight but those #*!@**%$ cicadas wouldn't stop their chirping and Reilly started coughing and I felt totally damp and cold. Brian took one for the team and stayed outside with the kids while I headed indoors for some quality sleep. (My cat, Charlie, AKA "sleeping buddy", was waiting for me by the door).

We're going camping in a few weeks with some friends of ours in the ward, so I really need to toughen up...that ought to be an interesting trip. I really want to be a good camper--really I do! I love being outdoors it's just the actual sleeping part that I can't seem to get past.

Per the kids request, we of course had s'mores...

This, my friends, is a marshmallow cooked to perfection!

And this, my friends, is a complexion's worst nightmare...

Believe it or not, I could do without the milk chocolate...It makes too sweet...What do you think?

***Would you like swedish flavored water ice?

**Do you like the smell of campfires?

***What's your favorite season?

***Are you a happy camper?

***Could you do without the milk chocolate?

Middletown Grange Fair--August 2009

Yesterday was the day we wait for all year...The Middletown Grange Fair!

It doesn't actually start until Wednesday, but yesterday was the day for those who are entering things go to register...

When I went last year, I didn't realize when I was submitting my entries, that the local newspaper was there taking photos...Things were so hectic at the time that I didn't even remember what newspaper the lady interviewing me said she was from...

It wasn't until I got a call from a friend of mine teasing me about my June Cleaver comments in the front page of the Life section of our local paper did I realize which one it was...

This is a most unattractive picture of me! Since it is hard to read from that picture, here is what the quote in the paper was...

"Fortunately for the future of the fair's cooking contests, there were also plenty of first-timers among this year's competitors. Many of them came with baked goods in hand, but Shannon Monson, of Warrington, brought a basket full of colorfully filled jars--green tomato relish, bread-and-butter pickles, salsa and more.

Monson, who had her three young children in tow, said this was her first try at the preserves category. Canning food from the family's flourishing garden "helps the kids feel proud of the the things we grow," she explained.

Some of her recipes came from her mom, who used to enter the fair in Butler County, and from her grandmother. "It's become a family thing," she said.

For Monson and many other Grange Fair competitors, the contests are a way to keep alive kitchen crafts like canning and preserving, which too often seem like dying arts. "When I look at all these jars here--it's like a little piece of America," Monson said".

So there you have it...my claim to fame! Tee hee

So as far as yesterday went, as a side note: It was BLAZING hot and humid! The heat index was 105--can you imagine how awful that was with full on humidity?

This year was a disaster as far as vegetable gardening goes...

My tomatoes all got a blight, the cucumbers got shaded out by spaghetti squash, and 3/4 of our strawberries molded because of all the rain we've gotten this summer...

In addition to green beans, India relish was the only thing I've canned so far this year...(thank goodness I picked some of the green tomatoes before the blight totally wiped out all my plants).

Last year, I entered my bread and butter pickles and salsa as well, but this year, I just entered the india relish and zucchini bread (which, by the way, was slightly undercooked and tasted like crap, but I didn't realize that until we got home from entering everything). Maybe they'll be awarding ribbons to the grossest bread--in which case, I'll get first prize!

I was very happy with how my herbs looked...

I entered a scented geranium, sage, marjoram, lemon thyme, lemon balm, parsley, curry, rosemary, peppermint, and basil...

There's no telling what they ended up looking like when the judging finally happened...with this outrageous heat, it's anyone's guess)

This was the miniature artistic arrangement I entered. Last year I filled a little teacup with an assortment of herbs and tiny roses and it got second place. I think the judges are looking for something a little more "kitchy" so I used this porcelain shoe.

The categories they have for flower arrangements are really dorky. "Easter Time", "Jingle Bells", "Down on the Farm", etc.

Why can't there just be a simple theme of arranging wildflowers in a container? In my opinion, that would be a better way to celebrate the end of the summer. Who the heck wants to think about Christmas when it's not even autumn yet? I actually suggested this last year and called a month or so later to follow up but the change was never made.

These were the only garden vegetables worthy of entering. Brian got a blue ribbon on his spaghetti squash last year, and this year's squash looks similar.

I usually grow sweet and hot banana peppers for my salsa, but since the tomatoes are a bust, I'm not sure I'll be making that this year.

I entered a hybrid lily, hydrangea, flock, and butterfly bush bloom...in addition to a pink tea rose and an apricot colored climbing rose. (I forgot to take pictures of the roses, but they weren't outstanding, anyway).

The kids had fun entering art projects last year, so in keeping with tradition, they did it again this year.

Jake drew a picture of a bare tree and collected different shades of bark to fill in the spaces. (I had to help with the hot gluing portion)...

He then used sponges cut in the shape of leaves to stamp leaves all around the branches. The little dog at the bottom was also made out of bark. (Hence, the riddle)

In true, clutsy "Shannon style", I somehow managed to let the wind catch the board when I was carrying it into the entry hall. I totally knocked me on the brow bone! Good hell! It was like being nailed by an actual tree limb! (That, along with the heat and the fact that I got pulled over and given a written warning on the way home for turning left in a construction zone where I wasn't supposed to all added to the mood of my day).

This was another art piece that Jake did in school in May, using pastels...

He also entered these two photos in the photography category...(animals and close up)

Reilly drew a picture of a flower and then filled in with different kinds of beans...

I thought this turned out really cute...She's was so excited to carry it to the table when we went to enter.

And last, but not least, Ellie (AKA..."the cub") did this sand art project. It was all I could do to keep her from shaking it up on the way to the grange.

We usually go as a family to the Grange Fair on Friday or Saturday, but this year, since Brian is going to be taking the scouts on a camping trip Thursday, Friday and Saturday, we're going on Wednesday evening.

So...tomorrow's the big day! It feels almost like Christmas Eve in our house...everyone is waiting to see if there will be a ribbon by our name!

***Did a tomato blight affect you this year?

***Do you like going to grange fairs or farm shows?

***Have you ever entered anything in a fair?

***Are you a klutz like me?

Our week at Granny's house...

Every summer, I take the kids back to my mom's in Butler, Pa to spend a week...

We usually try to go in August so we can go to the Farm Show, but because my sister, Katie, was going out to Utah in August, we decided to go out in July so we could spend time with her and Josie!...




Our drive back to Butler (6 hours) was fairly uneventful, except for the fact that I had been on day 3 of a colon cleansing pill to jump start my diet, and the "urge" suddenly hit when we were about 2 hours into our drive...

I was thrilled to see a rest stop but all enthusiasm halted when I ran up to the women's bathroom only to see this "closed for cleaning" sign sitting there! Even more unfortunate was the fact that the family assisted was occupied...

After going throught the scenario in my mind of what would happen if I had a huge accident right there at exit 29, the occupant came out and all was well...

After arriving in Butler, we went with Josie and Katie over to King Cone...



So much for my diet!


I was in the mood for a vanilla with chocolate dip top (unoriginal, I know!) but after seeing what Katie chose (yellow cake ice cream) I had buyers remorse in a big way! Words cannot describe the utter delectableness of that flavor! (she taunted me by letting me have a taste)...The memory of it haunts me to this day!



The next day, my mom and I went over to The Orchard (an assisted living facility) to have lunch with my grandmother...


She's suffering from Alzheimers, but seemed to know who I was except for the time she asked me where I got my brown eyes from...(She also made a comment about how she thought my mother was having an affair with her father in law--who is also living at that same place)--what the?! That just made for some hearty laughs on the way home...ahhh....good times...


That evening, we celebrated Ellie's 5th birthday, (as previously documented) and she spent the rest of the night examining every cat in the neighborhood...

Here she is sitting with my brother, Seth...

I loved spending time in my mom's front garden...

A few years ago, she dug half of her front yard up and added raised beds, pea gravel, a little pond, and fence...

It is such a peaceful, lovely place to be...

A secret garden, indeed!


She keeps this miniature tea set out for impromptu tea parties...

The girls enjoyed this little set up....

I couldn't resist taking a picture of the area outside her secret garden...These hybrid lilies were just gorgeous!

On Wednesday, we went over to Terry Heasley's house, who is a friend of ours...

We always enjoy visiting her...She knows a ton about plants and animals and always has some nifty project up her sleeve...

The past few years, she's been shaping her bushes into animal faces...She's like a real life Edward Scissorhand!

This owl was my favorite!

On Thursday, we decided to make my grandmother's famous (and blue ribbon winning thanks to last year's grange fair entry) bread and butter pickles...

We got enough cucumbers to make three and a half batches...

Unfortunately, my mom and I were talking while she was measuring the salt and she over salted times 3! Yikes! We rinsed them but it only resulted in making them taste under salted...

They still made the house smell great, but they weren't blue ribbon quality this year, I'm afraid...

Under salted pickles, anyone?

Last year, we organized a lemonade/bake sale and had all the proceeds go to Aark wildlife rehabilitation center...We earned $64!

This year, while at my mom's, we decided to do another bake sale/lemonade stand to raise money for the same place...

I wanted to keep it simple (yes! for once, I wanted something to be simple) but my mom had bigger plans and before I knew it, she was driving into the Butler Eagle to place an add for a lemonade/bake sale/YARD SALE!!!

Can I just say how much I HATE having a yard sale!?! I always feel so violated when I see people rummaging through my stuff, trying to talk me down in price on an already ridiculously underpriced item...

What's worse is when they come to your sale and leave without even buying anything...

I don't like going to yard sales, either...too much pressure to make someone feel good about their junk! I always try and ooo and ahh over something so they don't feel like such a loser...

The only time I go to yard sales is when I'm with my mom and she forces me...(FYI: I love going to flea markets and thrift stores, however...totally different story!)

So here they are...standing in front of their cute little lemonade stand...(notice the original artwork for sale over to the left?) Yep--that was another one of my mom's ideas...

I was so worried that no one would buy any of Jake and Reilly's pictures...but fortunately, the women who work in my stepfather's office, stopped by and bought them all...

I loved Reilly's signs for the baked goods...

I was disappointed with how many people just walked right by the lemonade stand and didn't even bother to make a donation...I seriously don't know what's wrong with people...

I always make a point to help support kids that are doing little stands like this...

When we got home from our trip, we took our earnings over to Aark...We earned $62.50 this year! The kids were so proud to give it to Mary Jane, the director...

We had a great week...the kids got to enjoy time spent with cousin, Josie, play in the office and sleep in Grannie's cozy beds...

Our trips back home have definitely become a lot easier now that the kids are getting a bit older...

***Have you ever tried yellow cake flavored ice cream?

***Do you make pickles?

***Do yard sales embarrass you?

***Would you have stopped by our lemonade stand?