All's Fair in Love, War, and Open Class Fair Competitions

I spent last Friday morning shellacking a loaf of homemade bread, and that can only mean one thing...Fair Week!
Last year I decided that, in order to have the full county fair experience, I needed to enter something into the fair competitions. But what to enter?

I don't sew.


I do quilt, but not well.



I don't know the first thing about raising show-quality sugar beets.


And the no pets clause in my rental agreement made any of the livestock competitions out of the question.


I ended up entering a couple of things in the open class baking division: poppy seed muffins (Class 100 Breads and Rolls, Lot 10 - Muffins) and baklava (Class 106 Unfrosted Cookies, Lot 3 - bar-other types) .

I had high hopes as I was planning and baking, but by the time I had hauled my goodies down to the 4-H Home Economics building, I was just shooting for not being disqualified.

But the baked goods competition is just crumbs compared to the real blood sport of the county fair: The open class church display booth decorating contest.

In our stake, the fair booth is the responsibility of the stake relief society presidency. And it it a responsibility that we take very seriously. So seriously that Sue kicked off one of our presidency meetings with a plea for heavenly help for us to be "humane" in our planning and preparation.


After our booth's second place finish last year, we knew we needed to bring in some serious big league talent in order to score the blue ribbon. Not wanting to waste any time, we asked Lacie and Timbri to be in charge way back in March or April.

They came up with a beautiful idea, and put a ton of time and work in to make it all come to life.
Lacie and Timbri did have a few other helpers, but they were the brains (and in most cases the brawn) of the whole operation.


I think the whole thing is amazing, but my favorite part is the "Cassia County" lettering. The letters are made out of photos of Cassia County signs and landmarks. Brilliant. Beautiful. Love it, love it, LOVE IT!

I love that Lacie and Timbri decided to embrace the chicken wire instead of covering it. I love the hand-sewn pennant flags. I love the old wood and distressed metal sign. I love the old windows that doubled as picture frames. I love the linen covering the steps. I love my decorative shellacked bread. I love it all.

In fact, I love it so much that I don't even care if we win one of those silly official fair ribbons.

Let the ribbons go to the Oakley Stake, or to Burley Unleaded. The Burley Best Stake, I mean, Burley WEST stake doesn't need validation from anyone else. I'm going to give our booth my own best of show award.
After all, winning ribbons isn't what the fair is all about anyway.

And I think it is time that we all stopped focusing on the whole winning or losing thing, so that we can focus on the part of the fair that is truly the most important: The Rodeo Cowboys.
POST SCRIPT:


Ummmm.... remember earlier when I said that winning and ribbons weren't important?

Well, that was before I found out that WE WON! WE WON! WE WON! WE WON! WE WON!


Thank you Timbri and Lacie! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Burley West Rocks!!!!

Sorry Sue. I'll be humane tomorrow, after I finish celebrating.





Because, not only did WE WIN, but...





I WON! I WON! I WON I WON! I WON! I really, REALLY WON!!!

But don't worry. I won't my blue ribbon's or my rosettes cloud my vision of what is truly important.
I hear rodeo cowboys like girls with ribbons.

Ye haw.