This is a story written by Dale Walker, that was originally published in the Eastern Graphic on Sept. 17, 1975.

The definition of "busy" must be Mrs. John Murphy of East Baltic.

Mrs. Murphy not only helps her husband to take care of 14 cows and an equal number of pigs, but also found time somehow to walk off with half of the prizes at this year's Eastern King's Exhibition. Her ribbon-winning entries in the fair's indoor categories covered the counter laden with more items than could fit into one picture.

The most rewarding result for Mrs. Murphy had to be her first place needlepoint, since it was a new challenge for her.

"It's the first needlepoint that I ever exhibited," she says.

Along with the winning needlepoint, Mrs. Murphy also took home first place ribbons for fancy gloves, crocheted pillows and knit pillows and seconds in crocheted slippers, liquid embroidered pillowcases and smocks.

But if you think that took a lot of work, you're in for a surprise. The industrious Mrs, Murphy also entered jams and jellies, vegetables, grain, fudge and fruitcake and a number of other items adding up to a grand total of 45 entries.

How did she find the time? Her answer would delight opponents of the boob tube.

"The rest of 'em sit and watch t.v.," she states simply, "And I do this work."

"I generally start in the fall with the fancy work," she explains, "I work mostly in the evenings and just pick at it. I enjoy it."

While Mrs. Murphy seems to have a natural talent for all kinds of handiwork, she also has a natural disadvantage.

"I'm left-handed, she says with a smile. "If anybody shows me how to do something, I can do it, but I have a hard time going by a book. It's just the opposite."

Despite this "handicap", however, she managed to win 15 prizes at the Dundas Fair including 8 firsts.

Mrs. Murphy says that she has two new things that she'd like to try over the winter, One would be designing her own needlepoint instead of going by a pre-stamed pattern.

I plan to design a needlepoint of a tuna, she says, "I have a plcture already that I can go by."Though needlepoint was a new experiment this year, it has quickly become her favourite kind of handiwork. "It's slow," she comments. "The needlepoint I did this year took well over a month, but there's something about it that holds you to it."

She also hopes to find time to experiment with shell work, another craft which intrigues her.

With all of the time that goes into preparing her many entries for the annual fairs doesn't it all get to be more work than fun?

"Oh no, Mrs. John Murphy replies. "I find it fascinating. It's just a past-time. Next year I hope to have more."

Copyright
Waldron H. Leard