I'm Not Going to Give This a Corny Title, I'm Not Going to Give This a Corny Title, I'm NOT Going to Give This a Corny Title...

Whew! That took a lot of restraint.

I mean, how could you not want to give a post about a festival that celebrates corn a title that pokes fun at the very idea? Admit it; there's more than a kernel of truth to that statement (Ha! See what I did there? Now, imagine I said it in a husky voice. Ha! Again! The corn jokes practically write themselves! And, I digress).

Anyhoodle, on to the post.

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, Petticoat Junction threw a party in honor of the export that has made it nationally famous: Petticoat Junction Sweet Corn. That's not an exaggeration; the corn is seriously shipped across the US and it is lauded as the sweetest, most tender, and most delicious corn on the market. I can think of worse things for which to claim bragging rights, so it makes sense that our small town would celebrate the feat, and, what better way to celebrate than a festival?

The festival itself has had a rocky history; it debuted in the High School parking lot in 1992, rapidly outgrew the space, moved to a piece of land owned by the town, made enough money to develop the land into a very nice park, became a nationally recognized event, drew headliners including country music stars such as George Strait, LeAnn Rimes, and  Travis Tritt, got too big for its' britches, suffered from poor (possibly fraudulent) financial management, was "stolen" by neighboring Hooterville, sat out the pandemic (along with every other festival in the US), and was finally returned to its' roots by a small, local grassroots committee who see the value in small town events.

Whew. That's a lot of history in one run-on sentence. Eh, grammar be damned.

The festival took place on Main Street this year, because the park, which bears the name of the event, is under a bit of repair and was not capable of hosting the event (this year, anyway). The committee brought back some old favorites from the early days of the festival, including a classic car show, corn eating contests, and the parade, which, I talked about a bit yesterday. They also introduced some fun new events, including a kid's car race...

...water fights, hosted by the Petticoat Junction Fire Department...

...and a pageant that crowned four "Corn Queens" in different age categories. 

The winner of the 4-7 year old category was our neighbor's daughter! She's such a freaking cutie!

Of course there was all-you-could-eat corn on the cob, which, Boomer enjoyed, thoroughly. In fact, Boomer was living his best life the entire day. Everywhere we went, we heard "It's Boomer!" and some random kid, adult, or senior citizen would rush over for ear scratches and butt rubs (to be clear, they were scratching Boomer, and not the other way around). They usually shared a tasty treat with him as well, which is why he ate three ears of corn, a slice of watermelon, a bag of popcorn, and half a pulled pork sandwich. It's a wonder he didn't get sick.

The festival wrapped up with a street dance to music provided by a favorite local band, and, while the festival ended with a fireworks show in the past; I don't think anyone missed the show. Maybe next year, though.

And, if the crowds at the festival are an indication; there will definitely be a next year. I give major props to the committee for all their hard work.

Summer Floating

The title of this post is a bit deceiving; most people envision something completely different-and generally involving water- when you ask them to join you on a float during the summer.

In this particular case, the float was of the parade-worthy variety. Yes, that kind of float.

A few weeks ago, when we learned that Petticoat Junction would be including a parade in its' revived Sweet Corn Festival; I casually mentioned to The Newlyweds that it would be fun to put a float in it. Specifically, a float that would promote the fundraisers that I have coming up for Not So New Job.

Kristi was in, like all in. Erin was slightly less convinced; especially when Kristi expressed her vision for the float, which, one of my awesome team members captured on paper...

...and the artistic rendering of the vision was enough to finally convince her.

Hugh provided both the trailer and the building materials for the float, as well as being our general contractor and driver. He's a man of many talents.

The Newlyweds came over on Friday night, along with my awesome team member and her sons (free labor!) and we had the float built in about an hour, after which we noshed on charcuterie on the porch.

Saturday morning, we pulled into line along with dozens of other participants and we made the short, slow drive down Main Street Petticoat Junction, tossing plastic trinkets and small boxes of crayons to the crowds lining the sidewalks. It was a fun way to get the word out about our events, and, if one has to work on the weekend, it was a fun way to do it.

It was Kristi's first parade, so she was stoked (Erin grew up doing 4H in Kansas; her ass has sat atop many, many a small town parade float). It was also Boomer's first parade (that we know of, anyway), so it was a fun experience all the way around.

Speaking of fun, after the parade, I spent the better part of the day at the festival, but that can be a post for another day.

(I'm pacing myself)

In the Meadow We Will Build a Campsite...

Hugh and I spent the weekend in the mountains with The Newlyweds and another couple, who, also happen to be newly wedded, having just celebrated their first anniversary. So, for purposes of this post, our companions will be known collectively as The Newlyweds. Also, how cool is it that our group was comprised of a couple of lesbians, a couple of gay men, and a completely hetero couple? We were a diverse group to be sure, and, when we passed fellow campers on our 4-wheelers, we left them scratching their heads for sure.

But, I digress.

The camping trip had been planned since the 4th of July, when Hugh, the (Lesbian) Newlyweds, and I discovered the perfect campsite while on our first 4-wheeling excursion. The campsite was in a large meadow with plenty of space for our campers, trucks, and trailer. Large trees provided shade and protection from the rain yet there was plenty of grassy area, perfect for soaking in the sun or having a leisurely picnic. The fact that the campsite was located a mile down a somewhat sketchy stretch of rocky dirt road hardly bears mentioning (unless you are Erin who, as a novice camper-hauler; cursed Hugh's very existence for a significant portion of the time she was navigating the road). 

We got to the campsite late Friday evening and immediately set up camp. Hugh busted out his grill, tables, and coolers and set up an efficient camp kitchen under the awning of our motorhome. The (Lesbian) Newlyweds set up their vintage pull-behind and immediately set up their fabulous outdoor shower. The (male) Newlyweds worked on setting up the fire pit. In the end, we had almost all the luxuries of home, including a strong enough cell phone signal that I was able to relax and not worry about missing a call from work. It really was the perfect campsite.

Once camp set-up was complete, Hugh threw some brats on the grill and we enjoyed our first dinner under the stars before calling it a night. The temperatures dropped significantly overnight, so I was more than happy to have a functioning heater in the motorhome. I may enjoy the great outdoors, but I draw the line at death by exposure to the elements.

Saturday morning, we toasted the day with mimosas and jumped on the 4-wheelers for the first ride of the weekend; it would not be the last. In all, we rode four different trails, saw a gaggle of wild turkeys, a pile of ruby-red bear poop (answering the age old question), gorgeous scenery, and enough wild flowers to fill a hundred vases. It was awesome.

Then, we went back to camp for hamburgers, wine around the campfire, and so, so many laughs. 

We more or less repeated the day on Sunday, but had to cut it short so that we could break down camp and head back to civilization to do boring things like working. Sigh. Anyhoodle, we agreed to do it again sooner rather than later and then our small gang went our separate ways with memories to sustain us.

Until next time...

What's Up Wednesday, July 2021 Edition

 

Linking up with Sheaffer and Shay for another scintillating edition of What's Up Wednesday because it would be a shame to break the streak.

What We're Eating

We are continuing with the HelloFresh project, which means that Hugh does the majority of the cooking during the week. On the weekends, we kind of fend for ourselves or eat out. A few weeks ago, we grilled pizzas and peaches on the grill, which, is kind of a summer tradition for us.

What I'm Reminiscing About

This past weekend, Hugh and I went to Mayberry for the annual Stampede. Although the event was disappointing on many levels (too many changes), we did enjoy spending time with my aunts and uncles who were visiting. We spent a lot of time talking about their childhoods, and, going through an old trunk that my grandmother left behind. The trunk contained letters from my late uncle, written during his tour of duty in Vietnam; that really got the aunts to reminiscing. 

What I'm Loving 

...the hummingbirds that have been swarming my feeders, lately...

...and this citronella candle that I found at Marshalls. It's right at home on my porch.

What We've Been Up To

Hugh, The Newlyweds, and I spent the 4th of July four wheeling in the mountains above Petticoat Junction. We had a great time and, despite being really rusty at driving a four wheeler, I managed to stay mostly uninjured (with the exception of a wicked bruise to my left boob, where I accidentally drove the handlebar into my chest when failing to properly navigate a sharp curve in the trail. And, by wicked, I mean that, until just a few days ago; my boob looked like Rocky Balboa used it as a speed bag in his boxing gym while training for his title fight with Apollo Creed).

Speaking of injuries, I also managed to slice my hand up while cleaning the kitchen counter underneath my microwave. The injury required four stitches, which, Hugh was responsible for removing after five days. He did a great job.

What I'm Working On

One word: Fundraisers. Last month I organized a golf tournament that netted close to $25,000 for Not So New Job. This month, I am working on finding sponsors for the Virtual 5k that we will be having in August and on selling tickets for the Barn Dance that we will have in September. I am very tired of fundraising, y'all.

What I'm Dreading

Two words: Those Fundraisers. 'Nuff said.

What I'm Excited About

We finally booked our flights for our trip to Hawaii in December. Hugh and I will be flying first class, which is a first for me. It's kind of ridiculous how exciting I find the thought.

What I'm Watching

I am almost ashamed to admit it, but I binge watched Sex Life on Netflix in two days. It. Is. Dirty. The main character is frustratingly stupid. The love triangle premise is tired and worn. And the supporting male lead is HUNG (I said it was dirty).

I am also watching Love Island, which I find minimally less embarrassing to admit. I have coerced Hugh into watching it with me (and he will go to his cold, dark grave before admitting it).

What I'm Reading

I just started The Handmaid's Tale. It;s taking me a while to get into it, but I blame that more on my current workload and less on the story, itself.

I finished The Family Next Door and found it to be quite good.

What I'm Listening To

At this moment, I am listening to Finnigan purring over my shoulder. If he wasn't such an asshole, I would find it endearing. As it is, I'm sure he's attempting to lull me into a false sense of security before raking his claws across the back of my head. Sharing a couch with him is fraught with tension, y'all.

What I'm Wearing

Despite the Plantar Fasciitis in my right foot trying to kill me; I have been wearing as many of my cute sandals as I can. I figure summer is already halfway over, so I'll push through the pain in the name of fashion.

What I'm Doing This Weekend

We are going camping! It will be the first time we've been in several years, so, I'm anticipating equal parts awesome and awful. Stay tuned!

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month

Hugh and I are going to Las Vegas with several of his wrestling officiating buddies and their wives. I haven't been to Vegas since we were there for a wedding about five years ago, so it should be a good time.