Country fair brings old-fashioned fun to Sisters

Sisters' Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration held its yearly Country Fair and Art Show on Friday and Saturday to a record summer crowd.

Visitors and friends enjoyed a leisurely afternoon listening to music, playing old-fashioned games and shopping for crafts, plants, baked goods and fresh seasonal produce. Cookies, cakes, banana bread and handcrafted peanut brittle beckoned buyers from tables beneath the pines, while hungry tourists sat beside locals for a relaxing barbecue lunch, and strolling guests watched spinning demonstrations by the Northwest Regional Spinners.

The book sale offered a huge assortment of desirable titles: thrillers, Westerns, romance, cookbooks, travel and gardening. Readers loaded up their arms and their libraries with softcovers and hardbacks galore. Volunteer Margaret Doake was impressed with the crowd and the brisk sales. 

"We have a fantastic selection, all donated mostly from members of the church and friends," she said. "Many people come to pick out their winter reads here, then donate them back next year. We've had a lot of people this year come from outside the congregation, which is nice."

A petting zoo zone included a painting mustang filly, Christine Cole's barnyard of prize-winning fowl and adoption animals from Oregon Outback Humane Society of Lakeview. Martina Keil's all-foster-care organization comes to the annual fair because of the quality homes she's found for the pets in the Sisters area.

"We have the best luck here in Sisters. It's a nice venue and environment for the animals to come, lots of shade and lots of kids to pet the dogs," she said. "We're the only animal welfare service in all of Lake County, and we do all types, not just cats and dogs. This is so great, just good people looking for good pets."

Just back from the Deschutes County Fair Poultry Show with a stack of ribbons, Cole supervised kids and answered questions about her collection of clucking silkies and silver-laced Wyandotts.

Next door, Sandy Klein prepared her 15-year-old mustang, Nochecita, for a painting session by tying an apron around the horse's neck and mixing some splotches of paint. Named after the Spanish word for "twilight," the talented equine originally came from the BLM's Wild Mustang Adoption Program and seemed right at home behind the easel.

"The painting evolved over time," Klein explained. "I discovered she liked to hold round things in her mouth and shake them, so I wanted to see what she'd do with a paintbrush. She just has a great sense of humor. Today, she seems to really be into the color red."

"Cita" demonstrated her skill with a few bold strokes, then autographed her artwork with a stamp of her hoof. 

A more traditional and delicious draw to the fair every year is the homemade Marionberry cobbler prepared by members of the church. This year, demand skyrocketed and in just over two hours, the Sweet Tooth Booth gang sold completely out. Bakers Ann and Bob Reed and Susan Littlefield offered apologies and scoops of vanilla ice cream as a consolation to sad late-comers.

"We sold 12 pans of cobbler, it was all we could make. We just don't have the manpower," said Bob. "People love it, that's 240 servings. Eberhard's ice cream discounts the ice cream, and everyone helps. The same people keep coming back for the past nine years, and it brings in a lot of funds for our charities and

sponsorships."

A juried art show and silent auction began Friday night with an artists' reception and refreshments.

Volunteer Gayle Rodrigues monitored the silent auction aisles and remarked on the amazing response and turnout.

"We had 124 items and two closing times for items ranging from children's toys and art supplies to full-week vacations valued at over $1,000 each," she said. "We try to have a wide variety of prices and donations so everybody can bid. All the money goes to community outreach programs in the greater Sisters area. The church doesn't keep a dime."

Jane Matyniak and Margerie Guthrie co-chaired the art show and deemed it the best show they've ever had.

"All total there were 43 artists represented for the professionally judged competition," said Matyniak. "We were inundated with people Friday night and everyone was so impressed by the quality and variety of art. Many new artists as well."

Best in Show went to Vicki Shuck for her small oil painting of a barrel-racing cowgirl leaning into a turn. Chairman's Choice was awarded to "Red Pitcher," a dramatic glazed ceramic created by M. and M. Deaderick. The People's Choice prize was won by Steven McBurnett for his fine art photography of a red rock canyon entitled "Buckskin Gulch."