Last week-end was the local show. A great family day out with competitions for everyone. Stud cattle, Horse events, Schoolwork, Needlecraft, Photography, Whipcracking, Dog Jumping and of course the Cooking & Preserve section. Not one to shy away from a little challenge, I earmarked pages in the show schedule. The “Cooking & Preserve” section caught my attention and in particular the Marlborough Show Orange Cake.

Of course, life got in the way, and we didn’t get any baked goodies entered but it would be remiss of me not to note the splendid “trial run”. With a growing, hungry mob to feed, the judging at our kitchen counter was probably biased but the kids & Dad awarded the cake a “Highly Commended”. I must check with the adjudicator to make sure replacing margarine with butter is legal…The cake was devoured in one session, although I hasten to add this is a regular occurrence!

Donna Hay, Bill Granger and a pile of Delicious Magazines move over, the Marlborough Show Orange Cake is on the short list in the Mystery Park kitchen.

With everyone clean and fresh, I attempted to take some “happy snaps” with the schoolroom snapper….

it was hard to choose one…

 with everyone looking at the camera

and smiling

and not pulling a silly face

Nothing like the stress of taking a photo with the car running and kids excited to have a day out at the show…..

There are 2 comments on this article:

• On 23/04/2012 Fiona said:

  Hamish just wasn’t in the spirit of things at all if these shots are anything to go by!

• On 23/04/2012 sharon said:

  well don’t you all look just spiffy! particulary liking your scarf to bring the whole colour scheme together (and I’ve always thought that the kids wearing the same shirts was very handy in finding one that had wandered away, one doesn’t have to try and remember what the missing child was wearing!) Has someone been sewing or were you lucky enough to find the dresses/shirts?

  These photos are absolutley HILARIOUS and really deserve to be printed and be framed in a little series as a homage to what life is really like!