SEMO Dist. Fair Big Winners

This being my 5th year participating in the SEMO District Fair was by far the most awesome, rewarding and special event as our 8 year old Grandson Oliver Hust participated for the first time in the Youth Division for Crafts and Photography! Oliver was awarded ribbons on all 6 of his entries😊. He received 1st Place Blue Ribbons for his Bird Feeder and also First Place Blue Ribbon for his Woven Wicker Basket. Oliver won an amazing total of 6 ribbons in the Youth Division of Crafts, Bird Feeders and Photography. He was awarded 2nd Place Red Ribbon for his Photography Black & White Wildlife Animal photo of a Sea Urchin he photographed while on vacation in Florida this summer, and received 3 Participation Ribbons! What an amazing little man we have! He has truly enjoyed his first year participating in the SEMO District Fair!

The Youth Division can enter handmade items made from scratch or from kits. Oliver participates in our Missouri Conservation Snappers program at the Cape County Nature Center located between Cape Girardeau and Jackson . He made his Bird Feeder and Basket during one of the monthly classes he attends. The Cape Nature Center offers FREE programs for all ages, and they have a Catch & Release pond to fish in too – don’t have a fishing pole? They provide the fishing poles FREE too!. Anyone interested in finding out what is offered can call 1-573-290-5218 or go online to explore their website www.mdc.mo.gov or https://lnks.gd/2/5ZwbmB to register for programs. I am blessed to have the opportunity to share my love for photography with our Grandson Oliver and pass an art on to him that I love dearly just as my Grandma passed on to me her love for canning and cooking.

I was awarded a total of an unbelievable 28 Ribbons this year spanning through three Divisions - Canned Foods, Baked Goods and Photography - WOW! I was so excited for Oliver and astounded to say the least for the awards my entries produced!

This year was my first time to make Grape Jelly and it won a 1st place Blue ribbon – thanks to my brother Kevin Hartwick for picking and donating his scrumptious concord grapes from his person grape vine, and to my husband for picking the grapes off our vine in our backyard! Two years running now placed 1st in the Oatmeal Cookie Division with my Oatmeal Raisin Cinnamon Chip cookies. My Oatmeal Raisin Cinnamon Chip cookies (nicknamed Brandon’s cookies)became a favorite when my dearest Friend from childhood, Gina Graham and I during one of our annual Christmas baking marathons tried out this recipe, and her son Brandon (who does not like raisins) raved how much he liked this cookie, hence we named the recipe Brandon’s Cookies. It is now Brandon’s favorite cookie as well as my Father-in-law’s favorite, Marion Oakley long time resident of Wyatt, MO who we lost this past December to cancer. I have enjoyed cooking and baking my entire life. I am happiest in the kitchen just as I was as a child in the kitchen by the side of Grandma Mozell Hartwick as she patiently and lovingly shared her love, skills and knowledge of the culinary world she was so wonderful in. I am blessed enough to have several awesome recipes collected from her through our loving years together. I feel my Grandma’s loving smile shinning down on me from heaven as I know she is just bursting with joy and pride! In the past years after the fair was over and exhibits were picked-up I would take my entries by to my Dad, Cecil Hartwick, as he was homebound and would share my joy of participating in the fair and show him the goods and ribbons and his pride would just shine magnificently as we gave all the credit to my Grandma, his Mom! It was a special time to share our loving memories of this very special lady that touched so many lives in many ways. We enjoyed this tradition together, however this year is different as I lost my Dad in March of this year. I know he is standing by my Grandma sharing their pride and great joy for Oliver and I.

Linda Oakley with Grandson Oliver Hust - Big Winners together at the SEMO Dist Fair

I enjoy capturing photos of my Grandchildren, Nieces & Nephews! Actually I love taking photos and my family truly are so kind to indulge me with my hobby! They are all perfect subjects! This year I entered a photo of new nephew Ian cradled in his Daddy’s hands (my brother Mike)! What a joy celebrating a new life with my family! This photo placed 1st Blue Ribbon in the Black and White Baby phot division 0-1 year. The Photography Division is for amateurs only therefore I definitely qualify in this division. I have enjoyed Photography since my high school years. Being part of the Photography Club at Charleston Senior High was an inspirational experience for me. Through the years my love for photography has continued to grow. I have many family and friends that are kind enough to indulge me when I get on a picture taking spree which I’m beginning to think is more often than not 😊 I have participated in a couple of photography classes offered through the Sikeston Career and Technology Center which has improved my knowledge and skills of my camera use as well as the program I use to critique my photos. I encourage any lover of Photography to attend any of the classes offered locally - they are fun and inspirational!

The SEMO District Fair is an annual event held each year during September in Cape Girardeau, MO. I’d like to encourage others, children and adults, to enter their specialties. There is a large list of various divisions you can find on the web site www.semofair.com. I send a shout out to my loving husband Steven Wayne Oakley of Oakley’s Used Cars and Oakley’s Market in Wyatt, MO for all his encouragement, support and being my grape picker, vegetable chopper and sample taster for all my entries - thank you My Love!

I was awarded 12 ribbons this year in the Canned Foods Division; 4 ribbons in the Baked Goods Division; and quite to my surprise 12 ribbons in the Photography Division Division at the SEMO District Fair in Cape Girardeau. Photography is the toughest of the categories I participate in; as you never know what the judge is really looking for.

14 -1ST PLACE BLUE RIBBON -

Strawberry Butter

Peach Butter

Grape Jelly

Red Cherries

Spaghetti Sauce

Tomatoes

Tomato Sauce

BBQ Sauce - Chipotle Maple

Oatmeal Raisin Cinnamon Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Black & White Group Photo of 3 of my Grandsons at Big Springs in Van Buren – Hunter, Oliver & Kolbey

Black & White Still Life Photo of a head from a fountain in Italy

Black & White Bay Photo (0-1) of my brother cradling my new nephew Ian in his hands

Black & White Fun at the Fair 2016 of Grandson Oliver riding the Mechanical Bull

8 - 2ND PLACE RED RIBBON -

Salsa

Blackberries

Pickled Banana Pepper Rings

Angel Food Cake

Carrot Cake

Color Photo Fun at the Fair 2016 – Grandson Oliver looking with curiosity into a Razor Back Hogs Mouth at the Missouri Conversation Exhibit

Black and White Photo Child 2-12 yrs. – Grandson Oliver sitting in the Captains Chair of the cockpit on his first flight

Black and White Pets Domestic – Random Cat photographed during vacation this year

6 - 3RD PLACE WHITE RIBBON -

Peach Juice

Adult Color Photo of my son Jason Hust

Color Still Life of an ornamental Halloween pumpkin created by a dear friend Heather Vaughan

Black and White Animal Wildlife of a Lion at the Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary

Black and White adult (14 & up) of my daughter Kacie Hust and her friend Colten Kinder

Black and White Nature Photo Plants/Flowers of a unique flower captured during vacation

Thank you,

Linda Oakley

917 Stanford Dr.

Sikeston, MO 63801

Phone: 573.475.0305