Pumpkin-Patch Breaking News!

She had pumpkins yesterday.  How come two days in a row?  For all those who may be wondering why I'd post pumpkin pictures two days in a row, I'll simply say:  Lovestead,   Home of Pumpkin Patch Acres.

When you're a judge at the county fair and you finish your judging, you can walk around the main exhibit building, pretending you're enroute to the bathroom---when really you're scoutin' out how ya did with your wax beans, photos, pumpkins and such.

Well, I did just that yesterday after we finished up with our judging assignment.  And,  on my journey of taking the LONG, circuitous route to the bathroom, I noticed a blue ribbon on my large pumpkin.

I was thrilled.

Later, while gathering up my stuff at our judging table, the actual pumpkin-and-potato judge (he's the mayor of Dover) came and sat down.  His daughter Erica was our superintendent.

When I told him my pumpkin got a blue ribbon, that's when I learned he was the judge.  He said he'd found out who the exhibitor was after making his decision.

Then, when I told him that the big pumpkin was grown on our manure pile, he said he had thought that might be the case.

Later, I saw Virginia, the pumpkin and potato superintendent.  She was smiling and happy about my pumpkin.

When I talked about it getting a blue ribbon, she suddenly started acting a little evasive.

That when my sister Barbara---who loves setting me straight----said something to the effect of, "They were just leading you on, Marianne.  You probably didn't really get a ribbon."

Virginia kept looking at me as if I'd surely gotten something wrong.

So, I said I'd better get over there and look again.  Besides, I hadn't spotted my green pie pumpkin on my first trip past the pumpkin and potato booth.  

I rounded the corner, from a different angle than before, and what did I see:  that green pie pumpkin sitting by itself in a display case with a big rosette ribbon for "Best of Show!" 

Barbara was gonna have to work really hard to tame me down after that discovery.  

Blue ribbon for biggest pumpkin; fancy ribbon for best pumpkin.  Not a bad day.

Only problem was the exhibit tag on the Best of Show was still folded up inside the display case.  No name was showing.

Okay, I'm just like the next proud sap that comes along.  No point in having a "Best of Show" if nobody knows your name.  

That's when Barbara was in her glory.

When I tried to reach inside the display case to unfold the tag, she said, "Marianne, you'd better leave that alone!"

Okay, I said, and we walked away (well, I kinda floated cuz I was so happy BUT the gnawing thought that nobody would know that was MY pumpkin kept me unsettled.

I walked over to Virginia Wood and told her of my surprise.  

That's when she smiled really big and told me she had tried to reach in there and get the tag so I could get my money,  but her arm wasn't long enough.

"I'll do it," I offered.  

 "Go right ahead,"  she said.

So, back at the p-and-p booth, I had to move the giant pumpkins from in front of the case, but managed to stretch my arm out and grab that tag. 

All the while, Barbara was observing and noting that I'd probably break those big pumpkins in my struggle for 15 minutes of pumpkin fame.

She was almost correct cuz the pale yellow one next to my biggest pumpkin kept wanting to topple over.  

Finally, I got it propped back up, leaning against my pumpkin.

"Okay, let's get out of here," Barbara said. 

"Okay," I said, floating and thrilled that folks would know my manure-pile pumpkins did really well this year.  

Life is complete---except for the jelly, the photographs and the veggies.  We'll learn those results today.