my first blue ribbon ever!!

had to share this dorky photo with you all. in june i entered the creation you see on the right in a garden art contest for our master gardener garden fair. it is a metal bustier that i found at tj maxx(my favorite store). it is hollow so i did all kinds of things to it involving stuff like dental floss, landscape fabric, cow manure (composted of course), sweat, a few choice words, and i came up with a winner. she has flowers overflowing from her bosom and a skirt of flowering vines growing from her hips. just for fun i measured her waist when i was working on her. i couldn't believe it--19"--just like scarlett! (and myself--ha). so she became "scarlett o'hara's dress form". i displayed her with a tape measure around her waist and a photo of a scene from the movie--the one where mammy is pulling onscarlett's corset strings before the big barbecue at twelve oaks plantation. all the entries were displayed in the herb gardens at the harmony arboretum and the fair goers cast ballots for the winners. it was the first blue ribbon ever for me. the family had me pose for this pic--i look a fright as i sweated out there all day wearing my chic aussie anti cancer/heatstroke chapeau. the pink petunias were my prize. i hate petunias. almost as much as i hate glads. glads remind me of funerals. petunias are just sticky, leggy, and smell bad. it was a fun day! i also gave tetanus shots at the fair and met some fascinating people. i hooked up with some nice folks from the valley who are giving me pointers for our trip to ireland next may. you never know what your day will bring you. ps--dennis, bless his heart, helped me haul this creation and set it up so the strong winds out at the arboretum wouldn't tip scarlett over.