Show Day Arrives. Lavender Blue Dilly.. 10.8.08

Lavender Blue Dilly Dilly
Lavender Green
When I am King Dilly Dilly
You shall be Queen....









I forgot to mention the huge gathering of lavender that I had the night before last, and I mean night. I kept forgetting to cut it and finally remembered at dusk. Fighting off the gnats, I managed to cut the whole bush (and it's a big one). Now we have 18 bunches of it hanging around our kitchen. The smell was wonderful that evening. I have a rather poor shot of it all on our kitchen/dining room table. I hope to make various smelly things with it.

And here's a close up:














Jim and I spent all yesterday getting various things ready. I was mainly trimming our many photos and picking mint and marjorum in the dark with a torch for the '5 herbs' section! The things we do. On inspecting much of our haul, we had a rather large collection of spiders and one very pretty caterpillar in amongst the greenery. The caterpillar had little yellow tufts along its back. Sadly too small for me to photograph this time.

Eventually we fell into bed, managed to get about 2 hours sleep, then it was up at 6 to do the final final preparations. I cooked 5 of Jim's potatoes, (they came 2nd), Jim arranged his flower bouquet and his collection of 5 vegetables (which came 2nd too). We suspect that the winner had purchased some of his!!! Ah well, it's their choice and conscience.

We loaded up the car and slowly drove to Gort. Jim had put our photographs on the display boards on Saturday evening, I forgot to mention we were at the hall last night from 7-10pm taking 'early entries' and helping get the hall ready. Anyone who brought their exhibits early was entered into a prize draw as a 'reward'.

Judging was from 11 ish until 2pm and we all rushed into the hall as soon as the doors re-opened to see how we'd done. The most exciting for me was winning two firsts in the professional photography. One for 'Any subject' and one for a sunset. Here are those 2 entries:






It was so helpful of that couple to be just in the right place at the right time. Made the shot.











Jack one bonfire night. How adorable did he look in his Mum's hat?







These were size A4 so looked brilliant on the display board.

Sadly, it all fell apart after that. I had taken what I was sure was a winner in the section called 'Garden scene'. Last time I visited Jack, it was very hot and he was gardening (as he does almost every day if he can) in nothing but his wellington boots. I took a shot of him from behind watering the flowers. In place of this photo was a pencil note which read 'Photo removed by chairman Ian Stone'. I couldn't quite believe it! I had put this photo up the night before and Ian was there too. The note implied that the photo had been pornographic! I was so angry I could hardly speak. Nothing to do with not winning that section (which it would have) but it being removed in such a fashion. I vented my fury on some of the 'helpers', one of whom obviously told Ian that I was not happy.

I saw him later on and he asked if I was ok!! Foolish move. Of course I exploded. He said he hadn't realised it was my photo (there is a list of competitors' names in each section for the committee) and had seen it at the end of Saturday evening and felt it was 'inappropriate'. INAPPROPRIATE. A photo of a 3 year old's rear view. At that age, he has the perfect body and it was a study in pure innocence. I can feel the anger welling up inside me now! He said the judges would not have judged it and that he'd spoken to them about it!! Total rubbish I can tell you. I just shouted bollocks, I'm afraid and stormed off. I said he should have left it to them to decide and it would have come first! Ian isn't even Irish, who I could understand might have been a bit precious about nudity with their repressed catholic upbringing.

If, and I say, if, he had decided it shouldn't have been there, there are ways and means of doing it. He could have just removed it and left a blank space. There were a few blank spaces where people just didn't turn up with their entries, so nobody would have noticed. But to write what he did and pin it to the space. Madness. Also, had he mentioned it to me on Saturday evening, I could have brought in a replacement garden scene. I have many many of them!

Now I warn you, you may wish to look away here as I am going to print the offending photograph. Make sure no children are viewing......










Jack, the Naked Gardener










Such filth, eh? Inappropriate. INAPPROPRIATE? What a sad world we live in if that might offend. I feel like writing to the local paper and sending them the photo to print, along with the story!

After that, of course, we were fairly spurned by the chairman and his 'inner crowd'. Poor Jim was 'Chief Safety Officer' but because Ian hadn't arranged anywhere near enough outside help to assist with the parking, he ended up more or less directing traffic all day. This included horses, trailers, all manner of huge vehicles. It also poured with rain on and off so he was soaked through and very cold. There wasn't nearly enough parking for the number of cars. It was total chaos.

I left my 'post' on Information and spent the afternoon with Jim. As the afternoon's entertainment was drawing to a close, Jim heard our names called and 'special prizes' or some such, so went to ask. It turned out both Jim and I had come 5th overall for our photos, so had both won some sort of prize. We were basically ignored then Jim was given a trip to see dolphins off the East Coast. Hoorah! We'll both love that. I was given ........ eeeerm ........ nothing! I tried to be civil with the chairman but he was brusque and rude. Jim had his photo taken with the show queen. I wasn't asked! Now is that petty or what?

Remember the Saturday night raffle for taking in early entries? I won 3rd prize in that. I still have no idea what I won. I suppose it might filter its way to me eventually. Then, Jim had won an overall winner's prize in the floral section. I'm not sure what that was! They were all trips to various places and I think one of them was to The Burren (not far from us and which we have visited dozens of times).

Finally, there was a grand raffle and who should be pulled out of the box? Yes, Gina Deen! You could see Ian biting his lip as he announced my name! Was there a 'it's our Show Entries Secretary, well done Gina?' Ha ha. Well, in spite of them, we have come away with some terrific goodies and a fair wad of cash too. The 2nd prize I won is a hand crafted wooden coffee table. It weighs a ton and is rather splendid. It took Jim and I to get it down from the top of 2 tables, where it was displayed. Did anyone help? Don't be foolish! I will photograph that tomorrow.

I mustn't go on so. Oh yes I must! I'm an angry angry woman. Ian's 'thing' is the photography and he initiated the 'professional' section. I thought I might at least have got a congratulations for my 2 first prizes in this section, as an amateur. But what I did get was 100 euros! Woo hoo.

In the ordinary sections and for everything else, first prize is 15 euros, 2nd, 10 and 3rd 5 euros. So we did rather well, all in all. I guess the coffee table was quite expensive too. I didn't want the first prize as it was 3 month's membership to a health club in Gort. Not my style at all and I would never have used it. But of course, the whole episode has left a very nasty taste in my mouth and at the moment I never want to hear the words 'Gort Show' again.

On another subject (thank goodness you all say), last year, Jim had come first in the 'miniature flower arrangement' and I'd come a measly 3rd. This year, yes, I did it, I came 1st and Jim 2nd. What a triumph. LOL. Here are our 2 entries. Mine is the one with the FIRST card. Oh, did I mention that?





















My decorated photo frame came 2nd and the one that came 1st wasn't decorated at all!! We were a bit confused by that!

Knitted 'Granddad' came 3rd, but there were loads of entries in that class and some huge and splendid clowns. Here he is:























Part of the day is a dog show. Rather foolishly I entered Buster in a section called 'any dog not in above sections' and was assured this was right for him. Well, it turned out they were all pedigrees and did the 'show walk' and stand to order. Buster spent the entire time with his nose attached to the ground, sniffing the lovely poo smells and looking miserable when I tried to stop him. The judge said 'I think you're in the wrong class' but said he thought Buster was more fox hound than beagle. Jim took some photos. By this time, with the rain and wind, my hair was huge and I look like one of the dogs, a poodle I think! Maybe that's why they didn't take my photo!







Buster loving the smells












I tried to hold his head up above the ground and the smells. Look at that gorgeous Great Dane behind. He didn't win either!








Well, I'd better finish for now. I really didn't intend to go on this long. I have more photos, just a few and will pop some on tomorrow. Thanks for hearing my moans,
BT
xx