The County Fair

It's one of my favorite days of the year, the day we go to the fair.

We always take the back roads to get there, and stay all day.

I'd like to be one of 4-H kids, sitting in a camp chair

eating kettle corn

and playing cards in the barn. 

I'd like to rest my feet on a bale of sweet-smelling hay.

That or I'd like to be climbed on by a herd of teensy baby goats. (I am obsessed with baby goats, by the way. There were about six or seven of them in here with the girls and it was total giggly, goaty pandemonium [i.e.: awesome].)

I felt bad for laughing at this guy,

but honestly, have you ever seen a more Seuss-ian looking fellow?

I love the blacksmiths in the Pioneer Village.

They just seem like partiers, y'know?

And the spinners, oh man. Spinning (I've never tried it) must be awesome, because everyone I've ever seen do it is obsessed. The gray-garter shawl is her first hand-spun, hand-knit project, and she loves it, as one would. Must try it sometime. Maybe at the sheep show (that's what we call it).

Gingham gingham and gingham. Yay!

You just cannot tell me that pioneer candlemaking fashion is not awesome!!!

I really like pioneer crafts. I bought a handmade broom from the broom guy to sweep my new floor.

Oh, hello.

Hello pigeons and doves.

Hello eggs from all of the birds.

Hello skeptical bun-bun.

Hello cool tap-dancing guys.

Hello strawberry shortcake.

Hello quilts hanging from the high rafters.

Hello, blue-ribbon-winning cakes.

Hello brave people who go on rides (not me).

Hello blue, blue sky of a perfectly wonderful summer day.   

Comments

[Vic]

OMG that llama is THE BEST! I want him!

Looks like an amazing day!

[Eva at Two Pockets]

Oh, the baby goats! Oh, I love them!
I'm so excited for my county fair to start!

[Angela]

Oh wow! I am loving the views of your fair! When I was a kid I was all about the rides, none of that boring pie and quilt stuff. Now I am all about the 'boring' pie and quilt stuff. Hey and your fair has cool tap dancing guys-fantasgreat! I love it! It looks like you all had a blast. Thanks for sharing! Peace, Angela

[Elizabeth Mackey]

Thank you so much for sharing those beautiful fair pictures. I miss going to the fair.
The last one I went to was when I lived in Humboldt county and it took place in the darling town of Ferndale. Nice and cool, and the sea shore near by.
My husband was heavily into 4H when he was a kid and had everything from sheep to chickens. He also built a whole aviary to raise parakeets with a 4H project.
He was one of those kids in the pens with all his animals:)
That one tap dancer looks like a young Johnny Depp.
The llama is too funny, I bet he or she is nice and cool though with its haircut!

[Kaye Prince]

Oh wow, it looks like you had a great time! My Mum and I went to the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) on Tuesday and had a ball - we saw all the animals, were *this* close to seeing a baby lamb born (we saw the water break and about half an hour of the labour), laughed at the shorn alpacas too, and ate some awesome food! These kinds of fairs/exhibitions are the best!

[Victory Garden Yarn]

You should totally take a spinning class at the Flock and Fiber Festival!

I took a drop spindle class there last year, and although I haven't picked it up since the class (ssssh, secret), every time I walk by the spindle, which is artfully nestled among my hooks and needles, I think, 'Hey, one of these days I'm totally picking that up and spinning something,' because the teacher was THAT good-I feel like I got the hang of it after only 2 hours!

[Rose]

Your fair looks lovely! I live in Florida and my county fair is nowhere near as fabulous.

[Kar]

How fun! The fair is just the best. I just wish our was a little bit bigger with all the exhibitions, etc. That's all my favorite stuff.

[Melissa P]

Oh those adorable baby goats! What a lot of wonderful things to fill your day. Thanks for sharing it here.

[mixette]

Holy cuteness: baby goats!

And no safety glasses mister blacksmith: egads.

[Camila F.]

Such a lovely day, am I right? The pics are amazing!

[MaryL]

I'll take the tap dancer on the left, please ... :)

[Lelya]

Oh how I miss being one of those 4-H kids, playing cards, staying out late, getting dressed up to show.... Fair is the best. We're going to the Oregon State Fair on Sunday - I've seen those tap dancers there before (love them!) and I can't wait for kettle corn and milk shakes from the Oregon Dairy Women's big red barn.

[Roberta]

Oh fun! We used to go to the Clackamas County every year.
That Llama is great...they look so hoity-toity don't they?
Was the family there that does the roping?...always loved watching them.
And I just have to say the last time we went, 3 years ago, I promised my son I'd go on a ride with him. He picked the one like a big circle that spins and then the circle goes up in the air vertically. I am SO glad I asked the guy how long the ride runs as we stepped on because it was the l-o-n-g-e-s-t 120 seconds of my life and I counted every. single. second.!
Glad you had fun!

[debbie]

Love your photos of the fair!

I don't spin, but my daughter decided she wanted to learn last year, bought a spinning wheel, and is now totally obsessed! Her handspun is a thing of beauty. If you would like to see her yarn she is on ravelry. Her user name is harddaysknit.

[sharon stanley]

oh my goodness...fairs are the best....! ours is in oct...love the bunnies and my fave...the giant veggies...lucky you...hope you had a grand day.

[Cassandra]

Fairs are my FAVORITE! Yours looks like a blast!

[Michele]

Wonderful photos! It looks like you enjoyed yourself. I haven't been to a county fair in years. These photos make me think I need to go. I have a new appreciation for the simple things that I might overlook after seeing your photos.

[Jules]

Hello something I would never see in southern California unless I turned on the Lifetime Channel.

{Wistful face.}

[Amanda]

I agree, the county fair is the best!!! Looks like you had a blast - I always love your photos. Thanks for sharing.

[Emily]

Those cool tap dancing guys are part of a sibling group of tap dancers that were competing on America's Got Talent!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ELTkcDcb7o

[Candice]

Re: cool tap-dancing guys... the guy on the left reminds me of Johnny Depp in Chocolat.

[Queen of the Butterfly Ball]

We look forward to the county fair too! It is such a wonderful family tradition, we just love the simple sweetness of it all. I enjoy your posts so much!
Rachel

[Susie Sears Taylor]

A county fair is so Americana! We went to an Alpaca farm in Michigan once and the Alpacas were so beautiful and friendly. One was rusty red and looked just like Cosmo Kramer.

[patty]

Love your pics! Looks like so much fun. Our 4-H fair starts tomorrow, I will get to the barn at 6 to deliver the horse to the fairgrounds for the for the horse show. Our most ironic thing is that the chickens are shown in the barn next to the building where they have a CHICKEN BBQ. MMMMmmmm.... you better be a blue ribbon bird or..... ; D