The chair, the fair, and simplicity

This week is the Marin County fair and I can finally report on my little walnut chair I wrote about a while back. I was stunned to discover that I won first place and best of show! Hoo yeah! That's a $150 prize to spend on, well, most likely more wood.

You may also remember my "Glowing Gobel" decorated chair. Well, it didn't fare as well. "Honorable Mention". I guess the memory of poor George will continue to live on in obscurity. Well I got a green and white sympathy ribbon.

Last winter I made a flower arrangement out of old CDs. to enter in the "Trash to Treasure" competition. I really liked the way it turned out. I was actually kind of surprised that it came in fifth place. That's worth a yellow ribbon (without a rosette!) and I think ten dollars. Anyway, heating up old CDs is fun: try it out sometime! 

Finally, I entered a food competition. Yeah, cooking is my other favorite hobby. Well the fair had a "Fun with English Muffins" event. I took home first place! I called my recipe "Ho Chi Muffins". Ha. They are Vietnamese inspired muffins and the essence of simplicity. My presentation sucked...I totally forgot to bring a platter and ended up using a tin tray. I guess the professional chef judges were actually more interested in flavor.

My totally lame muffin presentation:

The panel of judges:

Judges in deep deliberations: 

And the heated competition: 

The Marin County Fair is always is a fun, and typically bizarre Northern California experience. Being the "Greenest Fair on Earth", they actually have people stationed at the trash cans who make sure you put your waste into the "correct" colored receptacle! Let's see, there's green waste, landfill waste (those are the black bins, i.e. evil.)  Hang your head in shame if you use one of the black bins. There are bins for bottles and cans, plastics, compost, etc., etc., etc. It's all so confusing to be politically correct. But it's just not the 4th of July here without going to the fair!

  

Simplicity trumps all

Now, if I could stop being so self-indulgent and draw a conclusion that readers might actually find useful, it has to do simplicity. In retrospect, I fully understand why my chair and my muffins won first prizes. They were extremely simple. Even though the chair was one of the most challenging projects I have ever made, the design itself...just five little pieces of wood is appealing.

For the English Muffin competition, some entrants had recipes that were two pages long. The fact of the matter is that the competition was sponsored by Thomas English Muffins so I'm sure they want to see toppings that compliment the muffin, not obscure it. My Ho ChiMuffins have six elements, all fresh. The mint grows wild in my backyard.

The lesson here is that whenever we get into a design and building conundrum, we need to just take a step back. Think about what we are really trying to accomplish. Are we trying to impress people by the number of complicated joints we use on that mahogany box, or are we trying to make something that the recipient will adore?

Oh, and if you want to try out my muffins, here's my recipe:

All you’ll need: 

• English muffins (split)
• Shredded carrots
• Shredded lettuce
• Finely chopped peanuts
• Fresh mint leaves
• Popcorn shrimp
• Hoisin sauce

Toast an English muffin and allow it to cool. Spread a thin layer of hoisin sauce. Sprinkle on the chopped peanuts. Add the shredded lettuce, followed by some shredded carrots. Arrange a few popcorn shrimp and mint leaves on top.

And that's the LAST I will say about my walnut chair!

Finally, finally one of my favorite bands is one that has stood the test of time because they never change the core of who they are. They are the epitome of simplicity. And they have fun doing what they do. Ain't that what woodworking ought to be? Yeah man, AC/DC. It's a long way to the top.