We're Back to Bloggin' Baby!

      I recently read a quote in a book ("The Gifts of Imperfection" by Brene Brown) that pointed out the communicating wasn't the same as connection.  She says "Sometimes we only THINK we’re connected.  Technology, for instance, has become a kind of imposter for connection, making us believe we’re connected when we’re really not - at least not in the ways we need to be.  In our technology-crazed world, we’ve confused being communicative with feeling connected."

I have been using Facebook for the past few years, instead of this blog, in order to "connect" with my family members and friends far away. Occasionally, a post will engender a deeper, more meaningful conversation with one person, but that is a rare occurance. Over othe years, I've come to see that only two or three people are really intersted in engaging in anything beyond a "thumbs up" or "Congrats!" It has made me re-consdier why I put certain things up on FB. It is not really creating that connetion to family that I had hoped for. I was "communicating" a lot, but "connecting" very little.

     One major downside of using Facebook, is how difficult it is to find your own past posts.  I love how this blog site is organized by months and years, so I can easily use it to document my own dear family, for myself mainly, but also for my kids, and anyone else who really cares enough to check it.  I love how I can click on a year and month and see a childs birthday party, a grandparents visit, or a fun vacation.  Facebook is not set up for being a long term memory repository.  So, We're Back BABY! 

So, let's get some JULY 2023 Highlights in here!

   First up... FAIRS and 4-H Projects!   They are so much work getting ready, but worth it. The kids compted in the local Stoughton Fair the first week of July, then entered a few items in the larger Dane County fair the folloiwng week.

       I started a homeschool 4-H club in Stoughton this past fall.  The kids voted for the name "Clover Vikings" 4-H club.  Actually, they voted for "Kitten School", (we have some very young club members) but Sylvia said she refused to be a part of a club named that, so we negotiated a second choice name that was acceptable to everyone. LOL 

I was so proud to see Sylvia try some new projects.  Archery became a favorite. She and I continue to shoot longbows together at a range in Madison once a week.  She also taught herself to weave a basket, and how to do some woodcarving.  I'm proud of this creative, determined girl.

Sylvia at the Dane County Fair 4-H compeition shoot

It was Ephraim's first year showing a chicken.  This is "Nix". It was going great, until "Nix" jumped out of his arms, and starting bolting away under the judges table!  Ephraim is an excellent chicken wrangler though, so she was quickly caught. That little adventure cost him a few points though, so he got a red ribbon in "showmanship" instead of a blue. It's something to work towards next year!

We enjoyed walking around with the Johnsons one evening, looking at the animals and projects together. It was fun to watch them washing the pigs, and see the highschool kids resting in the pens, draped over their cows!

Sylvia showed 5 chickens, but "Artemis" was the only one who got a blue ribbon.

Ephraim tried out almost all the rides by himself.  I hope to find him a carnival buddy for next year. He was pretty fearless about riding the big swings. His favorite was the "gravitron" which pushes you against the sides as it spins and tilts upwards.  He thought it was cool because astronauts train on machines like it.

Seeing the giant "Best of Show" ribbon on his fishing project poster was an exciting moment!  He did an amazing job learning about muskie lures, and explaining his poster to a judge.

I do not know why funnel cakes are amazing... they just are!

Ephraim and his projects (minus "Nix")

Sylvia and her projects, minus her chickens.  She does seem to have lots of chickens in her photography and watercolor exhibits though.

Sylvia's chickens were not happy about being "cooped up" in the chicken crate as we transported them back home from the fairgrounds.

I thought this painting on wall at the Dane Co Fair was hillarious!

    Going out for brunch on Thursday after the Poultry Show was one of my favorite fair moments.  We'd been in a huge rush that mronig to get to the show on time (8AM) and didn't have time for breakfast.  We spent about 3 hours with the chickens, wiping off their beaks and feet right before it was thier turn to be judged.  Some parts went great, others were challenging (like one of Syliva's birds getting disqualified because of a comb deformity that we knew nothing about.)  So, it was with a great sense of relief that we could plop down together at the Pancake Cafe, and order warm and filling food, as we talked over how the morning had gone.

Sylvia had some amazing photos this year. I love the variety of texture, subjects, color and focus she had.   We also learned that even if one projesisonal photographer thinks something is a great photo, another judge might not agree.

The kids are already thinking about what they'd like to enter next year for exhibits.  Ephraim has already started taking photographs.   It's fun to have an annual goal/deadline to work for, where their hard work and learning is rewarded and celebrated. (And.. there are always funnel cakes... and the smell of funnel cakes..... and if yuou want to see the joy a funnel cake can bring you.. just check out the next photo!)