It wouldn't be the show without a snow cone!
Going to the Easter Show use to be the last thing I ever wanted to do… the crowds, the noise, the long day, the bad food etc etc… Last year though, I decided to venture out there again and … I had a great time! We set some fairly harsh family rules: no rides, no showbags, no rubbish plastic landfill items and then try to make it all about the produce, the fabulous animals and the crafts. We talk to as many farmers as we can and ask them all sorts of city-folk questions and enjoy soaking up their pride about what ever it is they do, be it apples, alpacas or angus beef cattle. We treat our trip to the show as a trip to the country… as much as it is possible anyway, given the concrete jungle of Homebush!
very pretty girls...
Here is a photographic account of our trip to the show 2010….
ARTS, CRAFTS and BAKING COMPETITIONS!
Last year we made Dugal promise to enter his scones… but we forgot and then missed the deadline… nevermind the family was well represented by cousin Grace [14], who won her tapestry category and cousin Sally [9] who won a prize for her very creative hand puppet. Next year there will be a big Mackie contingency, we are on the mailing list so we don’t miss out. We love this part of the show.. especially chatting to the lovely old ladies at the CWA stand while nibbling on fruit cake… if only the line up for tea wasnt so long! The kids learnt how to do Japanese braiding, watched wool spinning, weaving and ageing leather workers… so many older faces and not enough younger ones… maybe they are coming. We bought the Country Show Cook Book… it is a fabulous collection of the winning recipes from all the country shows… I am starting with the multi-awared patty cake recipe for the cup cake class next week! This recipe by Yvonne Maslin has won nearly every year for 28 years at The Albion Show – this recipe must be good! I’ll let you know…
The contenders
and The Winners!
Checking out the competition
Cakes...
and more cakes!
Then its off to the CWA
and the pretty, dressed up jams
A quick lesson in Japanese braiding...
And off we go
It's easy...
Then we learnt hand-knitting, sort of like finger knitting
Watched lovely tattooed weavers
sorting the strings
Leather workers
Spinning
Tools
Beautiful ethereal yarns knitted into flimsy garment
My nanna never made my poncho's look like these wild ones
The talented Miss Grace and her tapestry
And creative Miss Sally's hand puppet
THE FOOD HALL
The massive fruit displays always drawn a crowd! We totally disagreed with the judges last year – but not this year, the winner was clear!! It’s great to meet the producers and taste all of the foods on offer… we can never walk past the strawberry stand – all those lovely berries and well… all that chocolate!! Then there is the decision about what to have for lunch…
Don't try to count the oranges, or potatoes!
Or the apples!
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Nut pyramids
Beautiful display from runner up
More from the runner up
And from the Winner - Crazy cows!
Farm produce for sale
New season strawberries
That taste even better dipped in chocolate
... especially dark chocolate!
Decision made. Gozlemes for lunch today! The Gozleme women always work so hard kneading and rolling the dough fresh all day long!
With a little chilli...
Almost ready...
Always worth the wait
THE ANIMAL WALK
Always our favourite part of the show… first the pigs [bit smelly for city folk] but the babies SO cute, then the cows. No time this year to line up for the petting pavillion – shame because they have done it so well – although Miss C still talks about the ‘baby cow who stood on her toe’ last year! We also missed the poultry – again not enough time, so we missed the strangest turkeys. I was really looking forward to taking their portraits! Nevermind, next year. We always walk through the cows – such huge docile sweet creatures with pretty eyes… and this year managed to squeeze in some time with the sheep! More sweet docile creatures but with pretty muzzles [not sure of the technical term] but you’ll see below what I mean!
Beautiful boy sheeps
And very pretty girls...
Quick sprucing before judging
And you are ready to go!
Not very dignified having your name card stuck to your head!
But the judges seem impressed...? Who knows?
It's all too much really
There were brown cows...
more Brown cows
Brown and white cows
Black calves, dozing despite the crowds
Ready for a shower
Even the babies need a shower
Young Cowboys waiting their turn
THE DOG PAVILLION…pretty puppies
This year we spent much of our time in the Dog Pavillion because we are still besotted with puppy-love due to the arrival of crazy boy Gus into our lives just over a year ago. We thought we loved dogs – these breeders and show dogs take puppy-love to new heights!! I have to admit as soon as we got home Miss C and I brushed our lovely boy, inspired by the incredibly well groomed Gold Retrievers we watched this morning. Gus responded to his pampering by finding the nearest patch of mud… I guess the breeder could see from a mile off that this dog, beautiful as he is, was never show dog material. I think however, that he is possibly living a better life chasing the possums, upturning the plant pots and swimming at low tide in stinky sea weed… as all real dogs should! Here are some highlights….
Attention to detail...
Are they looking at me?
Don't move!
Proud aquiline nose
The people you meet in the Dog Pavillion...
Patient pretty girl
And smile at crowds..
Others really wanna go home
Because the crowds can be a bit scary
Though some don't mind at all...
And soak up the attention while planning their hair styles [check out that part
Quick hug before you go... hmm big glitter head band?
A few final touches [after more than an hour
then it’s off to the arena to meet the judges….
Stand still and don't drool!
Smile, the judges are watching
Last chance to impress...
Time to relax and watch the crowds
It wouldn’t be the Easter Show without….
- The Woodchopper…
The Ferris Wheel
The Marching Band
The Giant Slide
Long day…. till next year!
the way to do the show, we may even go next year
oh my gosh Sam – you have been very busy ! I agree with the easter show,we do it every 2 yrs & the rides are not part of the equation.Its a country show & thats what they do there,country things. Mine do get a showbag though,bribery & corruption…….
Nikki
x
Thanks Sam… looking at your photos and reading about it was more enyoable than my trip to the Easter show..and a lot cheaper,too.
i love those german fruit cakes because they have more nuts in it..