Fall Fair Fever…

FALL FAIR FEVER!!!!

This weekend is the much anticipated Agricultural event. Small towns, villages and hamlets all schedule specific dates to showcase home crafts, farm animals and fowl, heavy-horse and tractor pulls and toe-tapping old tyme music!

Concessions food booths offer a myriad of yummy delights – from cotton candy to burgers, fries and pogo sticks. Outerwear can range from layers one can peel off or rain wear that can be held in reserve and donned as needed. Kiddies line up with glee as they wait their turn for the rides – it’s heart warming to see families for whom this is truly a special occasion and a treat.

Horse trailers and cattle trucks lurch across uneven fields to find designated parking areas; crates of squawking/squalling or screeching pets are bumped along and settled in covered display barns and sheds for everyone to observe.

Would be “hayseeds” stumble along in long-toed boots and tight jeans, trying to look nonchalant while reaching for a tissue to catch an allergic sneeze! If you’ve ever been to the Royal Winter Fair barns in Toronto you’ll remember that the air can actually be thick with dust, dander and farm smells.

This year’s events represent the 146^th annual Fall Fair and Horse Show. Agricultural Society Members toil tirelessly from the day-after until opening day the following year.

Wherever you may live, do try and get out to visit a Fall Fair near you. The experiences for youngsters and parents alike are enjoyable, educational and inspirational.

Catch the Fall Fair Fever!

Jack-in-the-Box…

Recalling this childhood toy is likely an easy task for many – exclamations of glee and feigned surprise by Mom and Dad when Baby squealed! When too many toys cluttered the space a reminder would come that it’s time to put your things away in the box!

Similarly, on Christmas mornings if the flurry of ripping and tearing at wrapped parcels resulted in too much excitement or bewilderment, wise Moms or Dads would reduce the quantity to nurture quality appreciation. Too many objects to focus on can feel overwhelming, regardless of age.

A recent discussion with a dear friend on this subject of too many choices was enlightening, to say the least. In today’s too-busy world where the pace and expectations sometimes exceed reason, it’s inevitable that people feel frenzied, overly anxious, and sometimes incompetent. Too many objects to focus on at the same time with little opportunity to intently examine just one at a time.

She explained, when I asked “How do you manage to do everything you do?” the simple theory of “compartmentalizing”.

Juggling too many balls in the air at the same time for too long leads to an inevitable error in judgement. Oops! To create ease and increase simplicity, imagine individual little boxes – each one labelled with a different subject, or task. When one is addressed, and dealt with, simply close the box – and move on to others which need attention.

Circumstances may direct that more than one box be open at the same time – multi-tasking of sorts – but the key is to close each box when you’re done with the contents and never have all the boxes open at one time!

My web designer sister today reiterated that process – a well-known process in writing programs. Compartmentalize different aspects of the whole into their own “box” – then presto, everything runs smoothly.

By implementing the theory, it should become easier to cope – inevitably some people will have more boxes than another! I’m striving now for that exclamation of glee, and maybe a delighted squeal, when a lid is removed and out jumps Jack-in-the-Box!

Please be seated….

I had occasion recently to wonder what a traditional gift choice might be to celebrate an 18^th wedding anniversary. Silver and gold are too far off and it’s unlikely either will be achieved due to time constraints!

A helpful website had all-inclusive information, to my dismay though – the traditional gift for this year’s event is listed as Feathers, and more recently Porcelain, or Cat’s Eye Jewelry. I’m wishing it was another year we’re celebrating!

As I understand it, the phobia name for Fear of Feathers is called pteronophobia.

For me, the uncertainty is whether it is wings, feathers or the beating of wings that throws me for a loop.

My Mother tells of a childhood incident around age three where I stood agape at a chain-linked fence which enclosed pheasants. My grandfather raised them for both for meat and ladies’ hat adornments. Talons grabbing the fence, an agitated bird was beating its wings and loudly squawking. Mother dashed out of the house and plucked me away.

 

I have every intention of whispering in a certain someone’s ear beforehand – lest his chivalrous presentation cause me to swoon not with pleasure or femininity!

I’d love to survive till Year 19 – when a chili pepper is noted as the traditional choice of commemorative gift. A porcelain gravy boat or cat’s eye marble would be truly preferable!

It will indeed feel worrisome if my husband, with prettily wrapped remembrance in hand, utters “please, be seated”.