Summer Fun

 Since this week will mean the end of summer and beginning of fall I thought it was about time I shared some of the fun we had this summer. The past few weeks have been very busy with canning, gardening, sewing and the like. I have had a few blog posts in mind to share, but no time to sit down in front of my computer. This overcast afternoon seemed the perfect opportunity. : )

 Last month I had the pleasure of entering some of my sewing, knitting, embroidery and baking in our county fair. As teenagers my sisters and I anticipated the county fair all year long! We would spend the winters scheming over the best knitting pattern, embroidery design, or recipe to enter. After my youngest sister's marriage five years ago, we couldn't quite find the time to enter as we once did.

 However this year I did! I entered Jemimah's smocked dress, a doll dress set, knit bonnet, embroidery and maple walnut pie. Much to my delight and amazement I won four blue ribbons and two best of fairs!

 The purple ribbons were won for the best of fair. Each category has one item chosen best of fair, for example one item in crocheting, embroidery, photography, etc. Surprisingly my doll set won best of sewing (it is a civil war style dress with embroidered apron and pantaloons) and my maple walnut pie won best of food.  I plan to share my maple walnut pie recipe with you at some point. It has become a family favorite and there is a story behind the recipe too!

Needless to say Jemimah Rose had a marvelous time at this fair! She would squeal for joy each time we drove into the parking lot. On the night we actually attended the fair to see the exhibits and animals, Jemimah and her cousin Micah both rode a pony! It was certainly the icing on the cake for them. It was a tearful departure when we all retired to our cars that evening.

 Another fun event we attended was a huge tractor show. My husband Adam is an antique tractor enthusiast, and each year since we were engaged we have attended this tractor show. Obviously Adam's love for tractors is contagious- Jemimah points and yells every time she sees a tractor drive by our house, sometimes she evens responds this way to lawn mowers.

It is quite the event, they showcase tractors from the early 1900's. Some are steam powered and look more like train engines than tractors! It can take two men to operate these steam tractors. They often have demonstrations of how the old tractors are still able to plow a field, it is amazing to see.

Adam has been working hard to restore his own 1940 model A Farmall. He uses it to mow our yard. It is truly a beautiful sight to see him mowing the yard on his tractor these warm summer evenings.

We were also truly blessed to spend time by the lake this summer! Adam I went kayaking for the first time. It was a perfectly gorgeous day and so much fun to be on the water. Then later in the summer we enjoyed a day of picnicking by the lake with my family, we had a splendid time!

Overall it has been a truly beautiful and blessed summer! With autumn's advent I know that I will treasure these few last days of summer. Soaking up each moment of warmth, sunshine, fresh laundry on the line, chickens roaming in the yard, tomatoes in the garden....

I hope you are all enjoying these last few days of summer too. Did you do anything special this summer?

"Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name;
Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonders among all peoples." Psalm 96:1-3