Thursday, June 23, 2011The rules... We went to the Miami County 4-H fair last night. Ate the best supper we'd had all week, watched the Clogging Clovers, talked to people. Went through the merchants' building and through the exhibit building. I had two blue ribbons on my entries, but I think they give most of us adults blue ribbons just so we won't feel bad. We walked around, looking at photography and gorgeous cake decorating and things constructed from Lego blocks. Since I sew, I slowed down to look at the apparel projects. One skirt jumped out at me--well, not literally, but I noticed it right off. It was lavender. Kind of shiny. Kind of swirly. Everything I love about little girls. And it didn't have a blue ribbon, but a red. I squinted at the judging sheet and read that the project hadn't met all the requirements. Oh. I was disappointed. Not in the skirt, or in the little girl who sewed it, or even in the judge who made the decision the rules say she's supposed to make. What disappointed me that 4-H rewards following the rules more strongly than it does outcome. I've raised children, I know rules are necessary--sort of--but I think joy is necessarier. You know, the kind you find in a shiny, swirly, lavender skirt. I think she should have gotten a blue ribbon. Labels: Miami County 4-H Fair posted by Liz Flaherty # 11:02 AM Comments:
Gotta take some umbrage with that blanket statement, Liz. Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom] Archives:July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 April 2008 June 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 July 2009 November 2009 January 2010 March 2010 April 2010 July 2010 October 2010 November 2010 December 2010 January 2011 February 2011 March 2011 April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 December 2011 January 2012 February 2012 April 2012 May 2012 April 2017 Subscribe to Posts [Atom] |
