Highly Decorated.

You may or may not know that I LOVE the art show at the Cache County Fair. (Any fair, really.) In fact, I was in charge of it for a couple of years.  It makes me so happy.  It is a gathering of all kinds of salt of the earth people, untarnished by the sometimes snooty art world.  (Sorry if this offends any of my art-sensitive friends, but can you argue?) I have a hard time articulating what it is I love, but I think it's just the genuine everyday person, heart of America, old-timey feel of it all.  It's the best.  So this year we all entered our work in the fair.  I entered in the professional category and took a blue ribbon and Best in Show.  I was seriously proud, and even shed a wee tear when I saw that ruffly purple ribbon hanging on my "Wellsville Canyon Road" painting.  It is one of my proudest moments.  Just standing there in the dusty shed-like building with my paintings hung on the wobbly peg-board stands that have been used forever and ever, with those pretty ribbons on my paintings made me feel as if I would turn around and see Wilbur and Charlotte nearby.  So magical.  But even more magical? Seeing my kids' faces when they saw THEIR blue ribbons.  I think they are hooked on the fair.  I hope so.

And Owen had just had dental work done, hence the crooked smile.  Ha ha!