Indian Summer

Indian Summers never cease to surprise and delight me, and goodness knows I've lived through enough of them to become a wee bit blasé. Take yesterday for example.  What a perfect day to visit the Royal Easter Show, even if it did become a little uncomfortable by early afternoon, but thankfully by then we were on our way home.

I guess you're either a Show person or not, and we we fall into the first category.  The only times we missed the Show was when we were out of the city.  In my case it goes back to my early childhood in the post-war years.  My parents had packed a picnic lunch and I can still recall that feeling of wonderment and anticipation the first time we walked through the showground entrance.  My brother and I were literally gobsmacked.  In the following years we were joined by our baby brother and by then the most important activity was to collect as many free blotters as possible from the various exhibitors to trade at school the following days.  Yes, I'm talking ink wells here.  Look it up in the dictionary. 

The flower and garden pavilion was first on our list and was the perfect haven from the morning heat.  

After all, they have to keep all those blooms looking perky and feeling cool.

Don't ask - I'm guessing it's community service for some misdemeanor.

  

This battered old shield is even older than I am and it is a hotly contested award fought out between the state districts.

The produce is always such a favourite among us city dwellers, 

and there are many features tucked away in the exhibits that are so endearing.

Monsters and children are a mutual attraction.

The same can be said for cakes and women of a Certain Age.

I couldn't bear to create cakes like these, only to have them devoured.

Of course, no show would be complete without quilts and I was delighted to see that several friends had taken out top honours.

So many tempting goodies were on offer in the food pavilion, but we resisted ... for the time being.  Instead we grabbed a couple of wraps full of healthy goodness and headed to the arena where we had organised to meet up with the Fudges Junior.

On the way out of the food pavilion we were passed by this little girl and her family.  What a clever little girl.  I can see me next year in an adult version, pulled along by Mr Fudge.  I haven't told him yet, but I am sure he would be happy to oblige.

The girl stunt riders were a big hit and entertained us while we ate our lunch.

The children were amazed by the antics of the stunt drivers, who did very foolish things at very high speed.  In fact, they were driving and skidding at such speed that it stirred up the dirt track and we decided to finish viewing at the back of the stand.

Wearing Hot Fudge shorts, of course.

Last on the agenda for the day was a trip to the show bag pavilion - it's all class and taste.

We were most impressed at the restraint shown by our three grandchildren.  They looked around carefully, weighed up their options and each chose just one bag.  We didn't dare confess to them that at the same age we staggered home under the weight of about 10 show bags each - I doubt their parents would have forgiven us.  Although we could tell them tales about their mother ...

Late yesterday we were sent this image of the children - the boys dressed up in the contents of their show bags.  I sent this image to back to them.

After all, where would Batman be without Robyn?