It's the Sydney Royal Show time!

Hi, friends - well, yes, it's vast, fascinating, and simply everything is represented.   Oh, I know you USA darlings have your wonderful State Fairs ( I remember as a young teenager being very envious seeing a lovely movie called State Fair - things were really very dreary in the UK at the time, and oh those pretty frocks that the girls were wearing, and I remember one young man saying how lovely the girls' hair bounced as they walked along. . .)   But here The Royal Sydney Easter Show is special.   Every farm animal  is represented ( I particularly love the alpacas) there's a huge dog show and every kind of fish, bird, cat and unusual pets have their chance to win a prize.   The huge fun fair fills a large area of the site and a trad here is the Show Goodie bag which I think in the past was a freebie - not any more - but the choice of contents varies!    Wood chopping is also very popular!  I am involved in the arts and crafts show  and again it's vast - every craft possible origami, scrap books, modelling ,mosaic, sculpture and of course all kinds of knitting, quilt making, dressmaking  and millinery.  There are hundreds of paintings and quite a lot sell well,also photography. Just to name a very few!   However I'm a hand embroidress ( I think in the States I would say that I majored in Embroidery - including its history.)   It is something I constantly do while the TV is on in the evenings.   I have won two second prizes in previous years and yesterday we took in my this year's effort,  This is my original design of who was the greatest ballet dancer of his time, Vaslav Nikinsky as Petrushka    The sad clown who doesn't get the girl.   A wonderful ballet with music by Stravinsky. Some time I'll show you what did well last year. . .   I have decided that they judges will either like or loathe it - we shall see!

 If  you'd like to read more about this fascinating, brilliant dancer who died in 1948, Derek's biography of him is available for downloading from Amazon Kindle and other sources.
   But back to the show - I must also mention the cakes!   There are scores of different classes, and yesterday the competitors were extremely carefully carrying their exhibits  to be put in  glass cases.    It has a huge agricultural bias of course, and covers the whole of New South Wales    The rivalry between the two main supermarket chains  is amusing as are their displays of whole landscapes made out of fruit and vegetables!The show runs for about ten days or more over the Easter period, and on Tuesday April 8th there a grand exclusive premiere for all the arts and crafts, so I'll let you know how I get on. . .    Incidentally.  Now I  must get back to real work!   Bye for now!  Julia