County fair chickens, cowboys & ribbons--quite the summer blowout

I just learned a blogging friend entered her photos into the county fair

after being inspired by my post about doing just that.

Competing chicken beauties we ogled...

This made me happy.

Then she tells me her husband saw her example

and he screwed up the courage to enter his baked goods

into the local county fair (there's a men-only category).

Very cool 'do!

This made me even more happy.

So, I've decided I should risk accusations of bragging and write about this year's results

'cause maybe another person would be similarly inspired. =)

I don't pretend to understand 4-H economics. Wow!! =)

Plus, I just learned fair organizers say that

the more people enter stuff, the better the fair.

This duck looks like a deep thinker to me...

So, you are helping your community by doing this, not merely seeking approval. =)

Loved the feather shake-out on this gorgeous rooster.

Didn't get his head in this shot, but it's the only fluff-up he did.

Last year I entered my photos into the county fair for the 1st time.

And I won some ribbons, which was a surprise.

No 1st place, but I was delighted to win anything.

And I learned a lot, and had a great time. =)

How many dollars-worth of cowboy hats are in this photo?

This year I entered again, and DH entered a few, as well.

This weekend, as soon as we stepped into the photo-zone,

I saw one of my photos from afar & saw the blue of a 1st place ribbon.

SWEET! Already beat last year.

So, DH & I cruise around, ogling folks' fabulous work...

(The center bottom one is a super cool abstract. Looks like waves but is rock! =) )

...and seeing how we did.

So, here's Sammy's results:

1st & 3rd place in "flowers", 2nd & 3rd in "insects and reptiles"

1st place in "any other" category

1st place in "seascapes/marine"

and a nothing (upper left) and 1st in & best in show in "plant life/natural environment (no flowers)"

So, at first I saw the giant rainbow ribbon & freaked.

They give out one per each division (beginner, intermediate & professional).

I was SUPER amazed.

I'd only seen photos of people & agricultural plants get best in show,

so I figured I'd never get it.

Then, DH noticed a small chart on the wall,

which lists the special awards.

It listed best in show for the 3 divisions,

then best in show overall,

AND MY NAME WAS THERE!

You can't tell fm. the above (& I didn't notice in person)

there's TWO giant rainbow ribbons there.

Wow!!

I'd call this some pretty serious positive reinforcement for

doing new things despite the discomfort & initial floundering,

working on your skills,

joining the fray,

and thinking happy thoughts.

Check your ego at the door

In case you think my head will be getting huge from ego,

I overheard a woman talking to her husband,

looking at & discussing my ribbon-festooned photo.

"It's a picture of bark.

On a tree."

Like that's the dullest thing in the world. =)

Made me laugh out loud.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, baby!

xoxoxobb

Getty goodies (eye candy), and county fair foto updates...

Getty Goodies

We hit the big town, L.A., on 4th of July weekend.

Took in a Dodgers game (great stadium, jeepers).

And, as per usual, jammed to the Getty (which is FREE*).

 The Getty provides SUCH great views, all over the place.

If you're a minimalist who adores the sky,

it's pretty heavenly.

My shabby view whilst munching on chips. Such a sad life...

Found a young fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) warming on the travertine stone, therein.

Ambitious vines. =)

Anyone know what that species is? I don't...

Bougainvillea is one of my favorite plants.

And I love these little iron trees it's growing upon.

County Fair Photo Exhibit Update

The view from the Ferris wheel.

SUPER quick update.

I was nervous 'cause it's a MUCH bigger county.

So "Bear" and I dove into the photo exhibit,

found nine of mine, and I got eight ribbons. EIGHT!

(ok, so most were actually stickers, not ribbons, but whatever.)

SUPER cool. I was stunned.

Of course I'd thought I'd turned in 10 photos, but wasn't positive.

So, even though it's a much bigger county (population-wise),

my theory re: how I won so many

is that they may get fewer photos entered

than our county 'cause we've got LOTS of retired folks w/time

versus the younger, working folks in that county?

Who knows.

ANYhow, I was thrilled to my toes.

Two hours later, Bear & I returned to the exhibit

'cause it was BOILING hot outside and we had time to kill before the rodeo.

So, strolling around the whole building,

I hear my husband laughing, and he says, "I found the 10th photo!"

And he's pointing to this:

Holy crap.

That's my photo (taken at the Getty, kisses to them!)

that I'd entered into the architecture category.

And we couldn't find my 10th photo earlier

'cause it was in a totally different place for all the FATTY ribbon winners.

WOW.

So, yes, that was bitchin. =)

I highly recommend joining the county fair photo fray

if you are photographically inclined.

It's FUN.

And winning or not, it gets your buns to the fair.

Which is always great.

As is the always-amazing Ferris wheel.

What a heavenly invention.

Next Fair Photo Exhibit: this weekend!

The day I turned in my photos for this next fair photo exhibit,

there were a LOT of BEAUTIFUL, interesting photos there already.

I was very impressed.

It's a multi-county fair.

Chatting with the woman working there,

one man turned in 100 photos. ONE HUNDRED.

Yow.

Took me three days to do 10.

So, even if I win nothing,

I'll have a pile of photographic eye-candy to pig out on. =)

And, of course, we'll always have the Ferris wheel...

xxoxo!bb

*parking is not free, but if you take public transportation there (city bus?),

I believe it won't cost you anything beyond your bus ticket. And it's AMAZING.

You're so judge-y: county fair photos are RATED.

At the end of this post, I also share a few of my favorite photos other folks took.


The Me Wall

SPOILER ALERT: I got zero 1st place ribbons. Bupkis.

However, I did get a few other-place ribbons, much to my delight. =)

In the novice/intermediate enlargement category for insects and lizards:

MOSTLY I'm just psyched I did this.

It was 100% new for me

& I was nervous

& had no clue what I was doing

& I did it anyhow.

WOOT! =)

In the novice/intermediate enlargement category for plant life/natural environment:

I have no idea how many entries they got,

and I'm dying to know.

They say if it's crowded, they reserve the right to

just display placing photos.

Novice/intermediate snapshots, insects and lizards
 (plus other categories to l & rt.):

The 3 Best In Shows I saw were:

photo of an old man's face

photo of a child's face

photo of corn.

None of the above are photos I'm likely to take or enter.

I'm native species and non-human animal biased. =)

I do love a Good Underdog.
Which, incidentally, was my FAVORITE cartoon when I was TINY.
Probably not a coincidence.

ARF!


The Them Wall

This might be my very favorite of other folks' photos:

Isn't it LOVELY? I think it's YUMMY.


This one is also great. WAY better in person.

So simple, and so good.

This one's also nice and abstract, w/lovely shapes & colors.

The professional group stands out, even from a distance. =)

So much great color and simple, strong composition.

DELIGHTFUL.

There you go.
I got six ribbons in all,
and got to see a lot of other photos I really enjoyed.


Same Time, Next Year

Next year I'm making LARGER prints,
and I've got ONE category that
I'm for SURE breaking into, so...

GAME ON, PEOPLE!

=)

Wishing you all good health, good times, and good photos.
xoxobb

Show off

 Photos I may have submitted to the county fair.

DH suggested you might wanna see. =)

Warning: these may look familiar...

Probably my favorite bee shot. Was TOTALLY watching me. =)

It may have been a strategic error to have SO many of my photos in the insect category

but I'm apparently obsessed w/bugs.

Nevertheless a few non-bug shots got in, too.

 This one I EXPRESSLY submitted 'cause YOU people had said you really like it.

So, THANK YOU!!! =)

Another benefit to this process:

I learned to cut & mount photos which is

exacting, precise and a wee bit stressful.

However, it's 100% absorbing,

and for ONCE I have some of my photos enlarged & mounted.

HOORAY!! =)

xoxobb

quiz answer: what's up, buck?

In short, this is the answer to the quiz re: what the above creature has on his mind is

Romance.

As many of you guessed, this buck was lookin' for love.

The doe seemed mostly to be interested in this:

"yum."

The buck also spent time standing very still, not looking at the doe.

Among the other things he'd detect are rivals (far right is another buck).

"Hey, wait a minute..."

Reaction:

"Oh, hell, no."

"And stay out!"

(pardon reflectiness--windows & sun...)

Que macho hombre, no?

=) Vanquished.

So, CONGRATULATIONS to everyone who was correct!

And thanks, as ever, to EVERYONE who submitted a guess--

y'all are brave, smart, funny, and creative.  Nice!

And thanks to Sue for the detailed info re: such behavior.

Gotta love a "guess" where the questioner learns from the questioned. =)

Caveat: I must admit, it is possible that

a) someone was (per Hugh) holding chocolate chip cookies offstage

to get the buck to hold his original pose, and 

b) I actually really hope that he was attempting to plank,

as Sue posited. It could be the new sexy.

Come to think of it, maybe this is where PEOPLE got the idea.

Planking = Sexy.

Who knows?

xoxobb