El Dorado Rose

Gold Country Girl (and my sister), Tina is running for El Dorado Rose this year over in El Dorado County:

For more than thirty years, El Dorado County has received not only local, but state and national recognition for the unusual and unique contest for mature women, The El Dorado Rose Pageant. The woman chosen to be the Rose has the honor to represent the county at a variety of affairs during her year as Rose.
(Click here to read more about it in this article from Village Life.)
Tina made her own costume (In paisley, of course! We love our paisley around here.):

I had the pleasure of attending the reception for her that was held at, and sponsored by, The Hangtown Grange in Placerville.
She brought some of her collection of vintage nasturtium tablecloths....

So bright and pretty:

And I helped a bit with setting up and adorning the tables with her lovely cloths. Our stepmother was able to come, too, and she graciously helped serve the tea.

She made a lot of yummy cookies for the occasion, including the little criss-cross "pie" cookies you see here on the table:

They were enjoyed by all of the reception attendees:

Past and present El Dorado Roses in their beautiful costumes were there.
The current "Rose" is seen in the center, below:

We even had live music, provided by the Buckboard Bunch, the official band of The Hangtown Grange (Thank you, Tina! Sorry that I neglected to put their name in when I first posted this!):

I also forgot to take a picture of Tina's guest book, but this embroidered nasturtium tablecloth was on the entrance table at the door:

Special thanks are in order for the Hangtown Grange for the use of the hall, and for all of the hard work by the members who helped out with everything that day! They also gave Tina the lovely roses in the photo at the top of this post, and the wrist corsage she's wearing, too!

It all turned out really great, and I was so glad I was able to attend!
(Lori would have been there, too, but she had to work.)