Fair time

Like a ten-year old, I love the county fair. I love the lights and the clowns and the racing pigs. The blue-ribbon vegetables on display, the 4-H girls and their horses, the masses of people waiting in line for deep-fried twinkies (ick!)... it's an absurd scene and I just can't get enough of it.

I used to do a lot of my Master Gardener volunteer hours at the fair. I'd go every day and stand around watching the people go by. I had to stay in a little booth most of the time, under a sign that said, "Have a garden question... ask a Master Gardener!" Can you imagine the crazy questions people would dream up to ask? I loved it though, loved to talk with complete strangers about what it was that was killing their prize dahlias or whatever. I'd sneak away for ice-cream or lemonade or zeppoles and to pet the horses or visit with the 4-H bunnies.

I like to watch the kids on the rides, too. Tonight I laughed at a mom with her little son on the kiddie roller coaster, shaped like a dragon or an earthworm maybe; she was screaming right along with the rest of the kids.

I'm trying to think of an excuse to go back again tomorrow...