The County Fair by Donna (Ensign) Woods

Growing up...I loved a day at the fair,
Could hardly wait to get there !!
To 13 County Fairs we would go
Competing for prizes in each garden show
Vegetables...a plate of five
...For perfection we would strive.
Big tomatoes, juicy and red...
And cabbage...one perfect head.
Carrots, orange and straight,
For judging results, we could hardly wait.
Onions...red, yellow and white
And the county's largest pumpkin...What a sight !!
Small zucchini...tender and green
Plates filled with every kind of lima and bean.
Vegetables arranged in a basket display
A work of art...when Mom had her way !!
Ribbons awarded in red, white and blue
Grand champion trophies and prizes money too.
Hard work, good friends and competition
The County Fair, filled with anticipation.
When the veggie show was done...
It was time for me to have some fun...
Carnival rides, games and saltwater taffy
Everything to make a child happy
Excitement and noise of a carnival midway
Thrills and rides and games to play
Bells and buzzers, horns and lights
Little ones thrilled with sounds and sights.
Music pouring from a Merry-Go- Round
Laughter filled the skies with happy sound
The smell of cotton candy in the air
What wonderous delights at the County Fair !
Bumper cars and Tilt-O-Whirl
Thrills for each boy and girl.
The Ferris Wheel jolts to a sudden stop
And you find yourself...stuck on top !
Venders selling their wears
Toys, ballons and Teddy bears.
Harness racing...horses strong and fast
Trotting hard so they won't be last.
Wooly sheep, continually bleeting,
Clean, fat pigs ...curled up sleeping
Holstien cows mooing low,
All cleaned up for tomorrow's show
Families enjoying the day together
Making memories to last forever.
Thanking God, when day was done
For blessings, joys and simple fun.

Ask Marsha Stewmart by Susan Shull

Dear Marsha,

When my kids were small, I imagined all the entertaining my husband and I would do once they were grown and on their own. I even have the fine china and cloth napkins ready to go. Dreams of the gourmet group we would become part of still surface occasionally. I have never dreamed that instead of a gourmet club, we would be joining the Motorcycles for the Maker group! Now we are out on the road every weekend cruising from one restaurant to another having a wonderful time. We do miss our friends who haven’t succumbed to motorcycle fever. How do we find the balance between time spent with our friends in leather and those still on 4 wheels?

Having a Ball on our Hogg

Dear Having a Ball on our Hogg,

Now honey, get a grip! Don’t beat yourself up over what you can’t do. Just be a creative problem solver! Ask those friends to follow behind in their car or just meet you at your next stop. They can even carry your extra gear-kind of like when I used to hold everyone’s purses and souvenirs at Six Flags because I was afraid to ride the roller coasters. Meeting there should work out great since you can’t visit on the trip there on motorcycles anyway. Watch out! Those non-motorcycle lovers may soon have a bigger “hogg” than you!

Ciao, Marsha

First Day of Spring by Susan Shull

Today was the first day of spring for me. Never mind the date on the calendar—March 12. Never mind the forecast for Friday—cold temps once again. For me spring started today.
The sun shone brightly filling my classroom and my heart with new light. The air was crisp, but carried with it the breathe-deep-and-fill-your-lungs promise of warmer temperatures, daffodils, and green grass. Gone was the blah, blah, blah atmosphere at school. The kids entered the building with smiles on their faces and new excitement for the possibilities that always accompany 4th quarter—the best of the year with 8th graders. They really do some serious bonding as they realize that they will soon be in high school and may never be in class again with those they have spent the last 8 years loving/hating. It is fun to watch.

After school, Alivia and I took a trip to the park to enjoy the sunshine. Faith was with her mommy and daddy so it was just the two of us this time. We roamed from one end of the playground to another swinging, sliding, teeter-tottering—even playing in the sandbox, until we found something inconveniently left by a neighborhood cat. Gross! There is something very special about walking hand in hand with an innocently curious little granddaughter skipping along by my side. What a blessing!

I am so grateful that God created seasons as a visible yearly testament of his love for us. I imagine just as I enjoy watching a granddaughter delighting in the world around her, God probably gets a kick out of watching his “kids” enjoying what he has made for us. So as of today, it is out with the gray days of winter and in with the promise of hope and new life that a new spring brings!