Showtime!!
Country living has a great many perks; we can see the stars at night, hear the animals in the fields lowing in the evening, enjoy the spectacular vistas, and, a personal favorite of mine, enjoy the various village shows and country fairs!
More than just competitions and vendors booths, these shows are a social opportunity for people to come together to meet and visit and build up some community spirit. Lately we've had a string of fairs in the area and have really enjoyed both visiting the fairs and participating.
At the same time there were competitions going on all over the place! Out on one field there was a dog show going on with a variety of categories. On the main field, amongst the vendors was the tent with the various pies, jams, runner beans, flowers, etc. Next to that was another tent full of sandwiches, drinks, snacks, pies, and other goodies made by the folks in the village.
Back inside the hall was the art and photography competition. Alas, I didn't manage to pick up a first place in the photography classes, I did manage to get a second in the portrait class with this photo from Myanmar.
As a brief aside, when we got Becket and took him to his first appointment the vet told us that he was a beautiful dog, but that we'd never be able to show him because of a slight underbite. Well, may I just say, we showed him! Becket managed to take home a first place ribbon at the Cilcain show! Granted, the category was "Dogs and owners that look alike" and he's a black dog with black curly hair that has a white patch on his neck. Still. Take that, vet!
All in all it was a great day.
The next week, we had the show here in Llanferres. Unfortunately, my experience that day was significantly less fun. After waking up not feeling well, things only went downhill from there and I was quite sick by the afternoon. I was supposed to present the awards, but unfortunately was stuck on the couch. Lara and Charley more than ably stood in for me on that front, but I was very sorry to miss it, and I'm looking forward to it next year. In happier news, I did manage to win a first and a third in the photography competition! The first came in the category "Seasons," and the third came in "Sharing."
More than just competitions and vendors booths, these shows are a social opportunity for people to come together to meet and visit and build up some community spirit. Lately we've had a string of fairs in the area and have really enjoyed both visiting the fairs and participating.
The first one we went to visit was with Lara's brother and sister as both Jonathan and Fiona were visiting us that weekend. We decided to head up to Denbigh for the Denbigh and Flint show; a large event for the two counties in which I have churches (Flintshire & Denbighshire, unsurprisingly). The Denbigh and Flint show is a major one-day country fair that has it all; you can find everything from show pigeons to bovine salt-lick vendors. We had a blast checking out the poultry competition and watching some kids show their cows. We wandered through the sheep pens and past some vendors, and sat down on the lawn near the old cars and tractors after grabbing lunch. Afterward we checked out the garden competitions, watched the antique tractor parade (one of them manned by one of the local funeral directors with whom we frequently work!) and sampled a bit of the local cider.
As fine and large as that show was, however, the next two were a bit closer to home. First we had the Cilcain show, of which I have a nominal role as Vicar of Cilcain. Fortunately for all parties, it's just nominal and the show is much more ably chaired by Mr. Peter Richards, a parishioner!
The show opened up with a flyover by the Red Arrows, the RAF demonstration team (British equivalent of the Thunderbirds or the Blue Angels), and the after that it was a full day of performances from Morris Dancers, the Gwernaffield Silver Band, and a variety of other acts.
As fine and large as that show was, however, the next two were a bit closer to home. First we had the Cilcain show, of which I have a nominal role as Vicar of Cilcain. Fortunately for all parties, it's just nominal and the show is much more ably chaired by Mr. Peter Richards, a parishioner!
The show opened up with a flyover by the Red Arrows, the RAF demonstration team (British equivalent of the Thunderbirds or the Blue Angels), and the after that it was a full day of performances from Morris Dancers, the Gwernaffield Silver Band, and a variety of other acts.
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| Not from the show, but you know, you get the gist. |
At the same time there were competitions going on all over the place! Out on one field there was a dog show going on with a variety of categories. On the main field, amongst the vendors was the tent with the various pies, jams, runner beans, flowers, etc. Next to that was another tent full of sandwiches, drinks, snacks, pies, and other goodies made by the folks in the village.
Back inside the hall was the art and photography competition. Alas, I didn't manage to pick up a first place in the photography classes, I did manage to get a second in the portrait class with this photo from Myanmar.
As a brief aside, when we got Becket and took him to his first appointment the vet told us that he was a beautiful dog, but that we'd never be able to show him because of a slight underbite. Well, may I just say, we showed him! Becket managed to take home a first place ribbon at the Cilcain show! Granted, the category was "Dogs and owners that look alike" and he's a black dog with black curly hair that has a white patch on his neck. Still. Take that, vet!
All in all it was a great day.
The next week, we had the show here in Llanferres. Unfortunately, my experience that day was significantly less fun. After waking up not feeling well, things only went downhill from there and I was quite sick by the afternoon. I was supposed to present the awards, but unfortunately was stuck on the couch. Lara and Charley more than ably stood in for me on that front, but I was very sorry to miss it, and I'm looking forward to it next year. In happier news, I did manage to win a first and a third in the photography competition! The first came in the category "Seasons," and the third came in "Sharing."
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| "Seasons" |
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| "Sharing" |
We finally wrapped up this past Saturday with the fair on the field in Gwernaffield, though alas I had no entries for any categories there. In spite of pretty terrible weather, it was still a great time, that included a great find at the church bric-a-brac stall that now adorns one of the tables in our house!
The show season seems to be over for now, but with Michaelmas, Harvest, Clergy School, and a whole bunch of other stuff coming down the pike, there should be plenty about which to write soon!
The show season seems to be over for now, but with Michaelmas, Harvest, Clergy School, and a whole bunch of other stuff coming down the pike, there should be plenty about which to write soon!
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