Bombs Bursting in Air

Yesterday, the church we go to (Faith Promise Church), had a Field Day for July 4th. They rented out the campus of Pellissippi State Tech College at Pellissippi Parkway and Hardin Valley Road in Knoxville, TN. The event was from 5-10PM but I am sure there were people there from the crack of dawn.




The kids and I went a little early, and helped set up the Snow Cone and Popcorn booths.




We found a nice shady area under a tree and set up camp. Here are Veronica and Josiah next to our real estate, and Beverly, studiously ignoring Mom and the camera.



There were plenty of things to do, like this climbing wall from Knox Rocks.

There was free food for everybody, including Coca-cola soft drinks in cans, bottled water galore, hot dogs, pulled-pork barbecue sandwiches, bags of chips from Frito Lay, popcorn bags, cotton candy, and snow cones.

I ate part of one of Josiah's pork sandwiches (I swear that kid eats like a HORSE), other than that I drank LOTS of water and ate cotton candy. I LOVE cotton candy.

Everyone seemed to be having a good time, like this kid with a monkey on his back. I didn't have permission to post his picture, so I put glasses on him to make him incognito. Shhh!

There were bouncers for the little buddies, from 1 year to to 6 years:

There were bouncers for kids from 6 to 12 years:

There was even a section which had a couple bouncers and a couple obstacle courses, for kids from 12-20 years. There was a HUGE bandstand. This pic also shows some of the people who were there:

Here are more people, with another view past the kiddie bouncers and over the lake:

and even MORE people. Last time we had one of these events, in the sizzling 97 degree heat last September, there were about 4500 people who came. Since it was a balmy 87 yesterday (30C), AND it was a holiday, I can only guess at the head count. 5000? 6000? Maybe...

Here are shots of the Popcorn, Cotton Candy, and SnoCone booths:








There was live Christian-rock music all day. The kids ran around doing whatever kids do. B and I spent some time on the quilts, she lolling around and Mom knitting.

A little later on, she had a nap. The kids got her a temp tattoo, which appropriately, given her mom's penchants for string and pointy things, and her own idea that she knits (which is thinly disguised as tangling up my yarn), was a sheep.

It wasn't all fun and games. Well, yes it WAS... but...
The church did hire a guy to come up and preach, from Texas. He was very funny, starting his short sermon out with a stretching exercise and a turn-and-rub-someone's-back deal.

His sermon was very relevant for a public crowd, and very moving. When he gave the invitation, there were about 100 people who came forward.

After the preaching, the bands took the stage again, the field lights came on, and the games/bouncers reopened until 9:45 pm. DH made an appearance (he had to work until 9 PM), and he and the kids and I walked around talking to people and picking up trash. Then the evening ended with a bang. Thought I would share:


































Beverly kept bouncing up and down, clapping and saying, "Awe-tum!"
One last, which truly was an AWESOME special effect: a Lake of Fire.

A New Spinner

Thursday Des was down at our house and decided to spin something. She was spinning up a batt I got from ArtemisArtemis at Etsy. Beverly was sitting in her chair, hollering at Desiree and Diantha. They tried offering her something to eat, offering her something to drink, asking her if she wanted to watch a video... nothing helped. So they handed her a spindle and a piece of green Merino wool, and that did the trick. She just wanted to spin something!

The batt in question was a mix of just about everything: Merino, mohair locks, assorted wools, bamboo, and sari silk... and was only 1.95 oz. But Des got about 98 yards of this beautiful yarn, which she said was Heffalumps And Woozles on Parade. We put it up in Diantha's shop.

Yesterday we dyed some Corriedale a nice turquoise color, and some Montadale a fuchsia purple. I had wanted to duplicate a batt that Diantha has in her shop, but the purple came out more like Prince purple. Diantha and I spun the turquoise with a little white bamboo thrown in for shimmer, into a sock weight single. Now we are spinning the purple (also with a little bamboo thrown in) into a heavy worsted. The idea is to ply them together. We shall see.

We have a short day today. Have to package some orders for mailing, before noon. Then we have to make cookies and Krispy treats and take them to our church by 3:30. Drama performance services are at 3, 5, and 7. We are helping feed the cast and crew... then attending the 5 PM service/performance and working the nurseries for the 7 PM one.

I got the mini quilt in the mail from the 4 Seasons Monochromatic Mini Quilt Swap. Here in the left is a pic... it is RED. I did say my favorite colors were purple and red, and favorite season Fall. So this is my quilt partner's interpretation of that. It is beautifully done in little miniature pieced blocks, and bound in solid red. It does give an impression of falling leaves. I like it.

I got a main Treasury this morning, called Larry, Moe, and Curly... but it's not what you think! Here is a screen shot!