Pie and ice cream at the Central States Fair

It is a ritual for my fiber women friends here in Rapid City-the Central States Fair.

It is our opportunity to exhibit the best of what we have accomplished this last year.

We bring in our handspun yarn, hand knits, felted hats and mittens, woven goods, etc.

We enjoy seeing each other, in this small gathering. We bring our spinning wheels, our weaving projects, catch up, share and plan our future projects.

We may only see each other once a year.

We celebrate the fact we have made it another year.

Almost everyone comes home with a ribbon.

We laugh, tell tales, and of course have the pie and ice cream at the Four-H building.

This is a must!

The ice cream is made by by the University of South Dakota school of-I guess -Ice Cream. It is the best!

Seniors get a discount of fifty cents off.

We sit at long tables and listen to one of us talk about the old days of growing up in a world that is so much different than today.

We sit amongst the 4-H projects of the youngsters who will follow us, pursuing all manner of making. It is in their genes; the heritage of the Plains and the Pioneers.

We are all share our survivial of hip replacements, cancers and spousal ailments.

We are watching out for our friend in Memory Care now, enjoying her being still with us.

We are not quiet old ladies, but boisterous and silly. We giggle as we observe our friend’s pristine white shirt become what appears as a portrait of a turkey conflab, covered with various chocolate drips all down the front.

We revert to lunch room girl friends who tease and chuckle with great affection our common humanness.

I feel so fortunate to be a part of these women.

Till next year……….