Sounds of August

Oops, there are only a few hours left of August and I almost didn't get my "Sounds of August" blog

posted.  I came up with this idea at the beginning of August, one evening when I stepped outside

on our deck. I remarked to Clint, "It sounds like August!" What a symphony!  I wonder how many critters/insects compose this orchestra?  I can't think of another month that has such a distinct sound.

A few weeks ago I ran across a verse by William Wordsworth and knew I had to include it in this blog.  The verse is from "Lines Written in Early Spring, 1888" :

I heard a thousand blended notes

While in a grove I sat reclined,

In that sweet mood when pleasant

Thoughts bring sad thoughts to the mind.



The scene this August morning from our front porch.
I was resting after my two miles and admiring the trees
silhouetted against the foggy layers in the background.







  

Sounds of August would have to include those of the county fair.  The county fair
was very important to our family.  This photo is of my grandmother, she was very active in the
fair.  My grandfather in his retirement years became the "Fair Manager".


My uncles played guitar at the Senior Citizen Day held each year at the fair.  There were competitions
for hog calling, jigg dancing, best decorated bonnet, etc. 

My grandmother tells the story of my brother entering his pet rabbit to be judged.  This paragraph is in the above article:

Dot laughs about the time her grandson entered his pet rabbit in the judging.  He won first place and the delighted little boy watched the judge put a blue ribbon on the cage.  Smiles turned to tears the next morning, though, when it was discovered that the rabbit had eaten the ribbon!  A kindly judge replaced it with another and all ended well.





My mother's Blue Ribbon chocolate fudge recipe.  This is a favorite
in my family and we had to have it every Christmas.







Terrible quaility of photo but am using it because
I couldn't find another one of my fair entries with ribbons.



I usually worked in the art entries at the fair.

The Fairest of the Fair.  I am number 8, number 14 was crowned
the Fairest!

  

My grandmother, grandfather and some cousins were featured in an Emmy Award winning series, The Heartland Series, that ran for years on WBIR in Knoxville, TN.  This series was hosted and produced by Bill Landry.  The episode that featured them was filmed where else but at the county fair!