Boy, have I been busy lately. It is fall time; it is country fair time; where the summer has gone I have no way of knowing. Lately I’ve been busy presenting my books at as many locations as I can possibly get around to. A couple of weeks ago I attended the three days at the Arthur fair grounds. The second past week, three days were spent at the Fergus Fair. This past week, although not yet done by the time of writing, I will have, by the time this publication hits your doorstep, spent an additional three days doing the same thing at Grand Valley.
Now just in case you Erinites, Ortonites, Hillsburghites, and all those living hither and thither in between are feeling a little left out, don’t panic. I’ll be in attendance at the Erin Fall Fair during the four-day Thanksgiving weekend. This was the Little Lady’s home stomping grounds in a younger year, so I expect I’ll see a lot of you readers from that area, whom I have previously met, as she and I have attended that fair on a regular basis for quite a lot of years.
Now I am not one to climb up on a pedestal to make myself heard while pounding my chest and bragging a little, but if you lean a little close I’ll let you in on an itsy bitsy secret. You all know, if you’re avid readers, that I have a few self winding alarm clocks tucked away in a neat little, untidy, well-insulated shed, behind my abode, inside the edge of downtown Fergus. These I let out, in single pairs, on separate occasions, to scamper around my garden to eat up any and all of the plant chomping insects.
I’m a pesticide free gardener, and I’m telling you, they really do a good job. If you are wondering why I said single and separate, they are somewhat like our nation wide politicians; they do a lot of strutting and crowing and fight with those of another party, and while doing that they do not get done what was originally expected.
Well I know you’re all impatient, so I better stop beating around the bush and get back to the secret that I am a little reluctant to divulge. What I did was, I gathered up eleven of those wonderful, colourful, little, high stepping, fast scampering creatures, and I tucked them each into some of those unique little pet carrying cases. You know, the ones with the handle on top so you can carry them about like a suitcase. And I lugged them all the way up to show them off in the poultry division, at the annual Fergus Fall Fair.
And guess what? You’re not very good at guessing, are you? Well I’m going to tell you what. I had 11 entries and I came home with ten first red ribbons and one second. Not bad, don’t you think? But don’t you go telling everybody, ’cause it’s a secret.
If you’re a pesticide free gardener, or wish to be one, you too should have a pair of these to scamper, scratch, and peck around your garden.
They’re fun to look after, neat to watch, and are music to your ears in the morning. Maybe next year you could give me a little competition at the fair.
Hey, hey, hey. Speaking of competitions, listen up. And listen up good. This is the very weekend, Sept. 27, that one of the biggest and best chicken shows in all of Canada is taking place. I’m talking about “The Colwyn Championship Showcase,” and it is located at the Colwyn Stables, just south-east of Fergus on County Road 29, at the tee of township road 30. That’s along about the mid-mark between County Road 18 and 24 highway.
If you have never been to one of these shows, man, you don’t know what you’re missing. It’s a fun family outing, that can be enjoyed by all. Bring Grandma and Grandpa, and all the kids and come and have a look at the best collection of Cluck, Clucks in the country.
This is the 12th annual show held there, and you won’t see better anywhere else. It is neat, clean and tidy, and it takes up the entire arena. You just may find me wandering around there also. ’Cause busy or not, it’s a must-see show. Come see for yourself.
Take care, ‘cause we care.