Lettuce Turnip the Beat

Haha, I am sorry, I just couldn't help it; I had to title this post the same as the theme for this year's county fair. I thought is was quit catchy and cute!

Oh my goodness....it's almost fall y'all and I can't tell you how excited I am to feel the crispness in the air and start burning my delicious earthy "pumpkin spice and everything nice" candles!

Everything  FALL JUST MAKES ME HAPPY! I think it is the one season I count down to and actually store decor for. BRING ON the THROW PILLOWS- oh ya!

Ok, it's five in the morning and I got to keep it down, my boys are still sleeping and I need to keep it that way.  Morning moments are sacred moments and if I don't stop thinking of my throw pillows and fall decor now I am likely to start digging them out and wake the sleeping little monsters up. ( I say monsters out of 100% love-just sayin'.)


                            


Alrighty! It's fair time and that means that I am exhausted from the marathon that takes place leading up to the entry deadline for open exhibits.

I can't imagine how this time of year will feel in just a few short years when they are old enough to enter and show animals too! Oie- let's not think of that one yet shall we.

So this year's entries might seem to be underwhelming to last years "Black Pearl" but that is not because my boys didn't have grand ambitious plans- quit the opposite really.

My oldest wanted to design and build a submersible submarine that he could encapsulate himself in. Um...yah... I said no. I said "no" many many times over- that was his dream for the year. After I crushed going in the water he to take to the sky and wanted to build a flying airplane that he and his brothers could ride in.  Um...I couldn't see that working out well either; not because he isn't capable, but because I was incapable of supporting the dream and energy to supervise.

Side note- His grandfather made such a plane for his Nana and her siblings when they were young and this boy will make one one day-I am certain of it. It's a peddle plane that lifts as the driver peddles fast enough to turn the propeller. The plane is securely fastened to tethers that rotate around a pole- as a tether ball would. this kid saw a picture of his aunt sitting in the little plane and hasn't stopped dreaming since.

So, with all that said, just know I was the squasher of big dreams and plans this year, but my boys still did some great things.

My train lover finished up a paint by number painting that took him FOREVER!

I don't think there could have been any smaller sections and I give him kudos for sticking to it. I know he lost interest after the first 15 hours. Thankfully though I had the thought to give him my discman and between some Journey, George, and Louis Lamour he spent another 40+ hours tediously painting away.

My second boy wanted to knap and obsidian knife and I squashed that one-again because I just couldn't support and supervise.  So... he took to his Papa's and made his first sheath 100% solo. Well, he said he did 98% of the work and Papa did the rest but regardless I am so proud of him! This boy doesn't like projects that can't be conceptualized and completed in less than 2 hours and this project took him more than two days.  It could have helped that he got exclusive one-on-one time with one of his heroes but whatever the motivation

he is pleased with himself and watching the pride beam from his eyes when he came home to show us what he had accomplished was priceless.

My next little cowboy got his hopes crushed too- I am on a roll! He wanted to make a knife from a saw blade and had it all cut out and everything, but again,  the mother ship ran out of fuel and so plans had to be diverted. Actually, I don't know why we decided he couldn't finish it, but he didn't seem to mind too much.  He finished a leather craft he was gifted last Christmas and did a pretty good job of it.  He had to redo the lacing three times over before he got it right and never once did he get huffy!  A miracle!!!

And lastly...my little- not so little- little guy begged and pleaded to be able to enter unicorns. 

 Yes, this boy loves glitter, the color pink, and unicorns. He is rough and tuff and sweet as sugar. I got nothin'.  So what did I do? I squashed him.

Just kidding, I handed him a bucket of clay and gave him a crash course in sculpting and walked away. You see, I am an artist and perfectionist and have a hard time not "taking over" to help make something look right. My boys can see what they want and ask me to get them there, but on this one I walked away to see what he could do. (okay- so I was asked to help him with the legs- I just inserted the toothpicks- because he was afraid to stab the belly.)

BLOWN AWAY!

He has talent and also painted a piece titled "Melting Snowmen" when I was out bucking hay.  At first I was frustrated that he got his brother to poor him some paint and mixed media, but then I saw what he had done and thought his work makes more sense to me than some ridiculously priced abstracts...... Maybe we could list it for millions and buy a ranch after all.

Oh dang; I failed to mention the secondary projects for the older three monsters.

 #1 made a revolver out of legos that was complete with an oscillating cylinder and pivoting hammer and trigger.

#2  finished a sculpture he started back when he had long hair.  I wish he had taken his time toward the end, but it was taking more than five minutes to paint the shirt.

And my #3 - they aren't ranked in affection, just birth guys. I don't want to use names- finished a sculpture of Jesus  he started last fall. He and I are so pleased with how it came out.  It took some convincing to get him to spend more time painting than he wanted, but when he realized everything in brown was not fascinating he obliged me and added more depth. I love the camo sail he picked out too! He will "store his pocket knife" in the pocket when it comes home," he told me. Yup, that's my boy.

I am proud of my boys and know they could have done so many other things if I hadn't put restrictions and limitations on them, but I am pleased that we finished things. 

That was the theme for our family this year- we just needed to finish things.

 We turned up the beat  and wrapped up loose ends. We discovered how moving music could be and truly jammed it out y'all. It was great fun.

I got in on the action and entered the gate I had made and needed to finish.  It needed about 30 more shoes and a little rattle can action and oh how she shines. I can't wait to make the next one designed in my head. Eeek- can't wait!

I also finished up a photo I have been dreaming about since I saw it unveiled before my eyes last fall.
This cabin peeked out after Ray and I took one of the  "two roads diverged in a yellow wood" near Hermosa, NM.  Not joke- I was recalling the poem by Robert Frost as I was sitting on horse back embracing  the fall chill  all while eyeing handsome man to my side when this sight unfolded before our eyes. The sun was peaking over the hill to the east illuminating the cabin in isolation.  The lieken glowed in soft green brilliance and I was blown away. Never have I seen such a sight and I wont soon forget it either.

I also have a goal to work on black and white photo skills and so that lead me to convert this one of #3 working along side his daddy.  The other photo just makes me smile so I entered it into the "emotions" category.  Gosh I wish I could have known what #1 said to make his brothers look at him like that.   So much emotion captured in their faces, I love it.

Well, there you have it. There is our line up for Mohave County Fair 2019 and I do believe we are are pleased with our entries.

Now, I must go get them pillows and start decorating my house!