On Thursday there were 14 of us (12 children(the olders and the littles) and 2 moms) and Friday my sweet husband took off the afternoon just so he and I could go together.

YES!!!!  I got my cotton candy.  It was blue on Thursday...(I like the pink kind best) but blue was good.

Micah had some too....but he just did not know how to handle the sticky hands part...what a face! 

This fair is known to have the best french fries in the county.  Had some of those too. 
There are only a hand full of rides as the focus is on livestock judging, sewing, canned goods, garden produce, baked goods, flower arranging and photography contests.  It's all about farms and domestic abilities!!!  Yea!!!!  Well,  and food. This fair is 62 years old.

So what is a fair without a ferris wheel?  We did not think too much about the way we were way up at the top, stopped, observing the erector set style of construction.  No, best not to concentrate on that.

According to the sign here, we, as married ladies, were able to ride the ferris wheel because we are not single. 

On our way home Friday, Husband and I stopped by Beth's....of Glick's Greenhouse....who I met here on xanga.  We met in person once but for some reason it just feels like we've known each other forever.  She was home and she even gave me the most beautiful potted mum!    Thank you Beth!!!!!  Here it is all planted by my front garden. 

Oh and I must brag the greenhouse up a bit...they had a display at the fair and won first place!     Isn't that neat?  Another tidbit.....it happens that Beth's mother in law is the sister of our now deceased next door neighbor.  Isn't that wild...and we met on xanga.  Small, small world.

For the ride home 

On our drive home we meandered all around the countryside and stopped to get some apples from a farm which is very very old...going back to 1730.  The oldest building, a barn, is so neat.  We spent some time talking with the owner who was born and raised there. 
I use to spend my summers in this area because an aunt and uncle lived there.  I would spend weeks at their place in the lush green valley rich with pioneer and farming history.

I remembered the Christmas gift I got from my family about 4 years ago.  I never used it!    It was glorious.  What a treat.  I kept thanking them for my Christmas gift.    "It's about time you used it Mom."  It is pretty sad that  I just never took the time to do this for myself.  I liked it...and I am going to do it more often!

A Child's Thought of God
by
  Elizabeth Barrett Browning

They say that God lives very high,

You cannot see our God, and why?

And if you dig down in the mines

Though, from Him, all that's glory shines.

God is so good, He wears a gold

Like secrets kept, for love, untold.

But still I feel that his embrace

Through sight and sound of every place.

As if my tender mother laid

guesser?"

Can it really be 21 years since our daughter was born?
Happy 21st Birthday Elisabeth, from your Mum! 

Take a trip down memory lane with me......

So the following is from her blog.......

"I shared this at our Secret Sister breakfast on Sat.
I read the story of The Widows Mite from Mark 12:38-42.
She gave more than those who gave alot of coins, because she gave everything that she had.

C.S.
Lewis says that we will be judged, not by what we've given, but by what
we have left. The religious leaders were multi-talented individuals
with the appearance of being spiritually and financially wealthy. They
gave just a small percentage of what they had. They had a great deal
left over. God's economy is different than ours.

The other day,
I experienced an epiphany. Anne Lamott says that she believes that we
are all the ages that we have ever been. Think about it. How old are
you? You can imagine all the ages you have ever been, but you can't
really identify with any ages that you have not been.
I am 50. And
this is what 50 looks like on me, with my experiences in life, my
accidents, my pregnancy's, etc. I will not have the body I had 5,10, 15
years ago... I need to get rid of the idea of what 50 Ought to look
like and accept that this is what it looks like on me. Then I can
strengthen what remains and be the best 50 I can be instead of trying
to reclaim what I used to be. This also helps with the comparing one
does with other 50 year olds. "Hmm..I'm in better shape than she is."
Or...." How did she stay in such good shape?" Key word being 'shape'.
Fruitless and Frustrating and why do it then?

We can apply the
same principle to our emotional spiritual state as well. This is where
I am at spiritually, emotionally, and mentally due to my choices and
God's interventions and leadings, my environment and upbringing, my
experiences...This is what I have to bring.

Like the widow, I
can give what little I have. The widow gave everything. To others, it
didn't look like much. We don't know if God rewarded her later
financially or if He blessed her in some way. But He did reward her and
she didn't even know it. He gave her what we all want. He praised her
to His disciples. "Look at her. She has given everything." He gave her
His favor.

Has He ever spoken highly of someone to you? Has he
ever said," Look at that boy worshipping me. He has always loved me. He
has given me everything he has." Or,"Look at her. She is using all her
strength to build my kingdom. She's invisible to alot of people but
this church wouldn't be what it is without her. She has given all that
she has." Or, "Look at this mother. She has a new baby. She is
exhausted. But she gets up at night and feeds her baby and she gives
that child what little strength she has. Someday, I will tell her that
what she did for the least of these, her baby, that she did for me."

Oh, to be commended by God.
Oh, to be defended by Him and pointed out to His followers.
Who needs the praise of men when you have His praise and defense?

I encourage you to give what little you have and receive what little others have to offer.

This
is the amazing thing. We have this treasure in earthern vessels. We
have His presence. We have Jesus within. We don't have to do any
problem solving. We just need to point people to Christ. No matter how
long we've been Christians, our human nature wants to wander away from
truth. We always need someone to remind us to Look to Jesus and Keep
our eyes on Him.

So relax and enjoy this prayer friendship that
could be labeled as the Luck of the Draw. ( We pulled numbers and
matched up with the other woman who had the same number. We will be
prayer partners for the next 3 months.) Don't miss the Divine in it.

Take
turns listening to each other and pray as you listen, giving their
burden to God. Listen to God to hear if He has anything for you to
share with them. Be quiet if you don't hear anything. Just listen and
bring them before the throne.

Give and receive.
Be content with who you are and what you have to offer.
Relax and Enjoy.
Pray and Believe.
Remember that Christ is in you. Therefore the little you have to give is actually a great deal.
Remember
that in Jesus great hour of need in the garden, He wanted His Father
AND His three closest friends. It's OK and good to need friends and to
want them to watch and pray with you.

Too often, when we only
have a little to give, we hold it tight to keep it for a rainy day. I
think the widow gave all of the little she had because she loved God
more than life itself. She may have died later because she had nothing
to eat. At the very least, she had to consider that possibility.

Oh God, help me love you more"