by cheri block
The Judge and I attended the Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles, California this past weekend. What a dandy experience.
Paso Robles sits half-way between the Beautiful Queen San Francisco and the Urban Dude King, Los Angeles.
The Judge and I enjoyed the simplicity of 4H kids grooming their sheep, high school kids involved in tractor restoration, and families actually communicating by looking at each other instead of at their smart phones.
Here are some of the images of the day. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking them.
The Judge loves the exhibition buildings where hawkers are pitching their wares.
Which belt buckle to choose?
Will this gopher bait applicator really work? The gophers are tearing up my olallieberry bushes.
We then went to my favorite part of any fair: the agricultural exhibits. The Judge did his best to act enthusiastic about the aroma, the animals, and the exhibits.
One of the Budweiser Clydesdales
This year’s theme was Route 66. Here is a photo of a real jalopy, the type Steinbeck’s Joads used to come West.
What a colorful and innocent day!
What on earth is “shaved ice”?
brain freeze
My you have a trained eye…I wonder if the other readers saw the sign Shave Ice…
There is no sign “Shave Ice.” It says “Shaved Ice.”
Oh.
Paso Robles is the 2nd best fair in California! Cyberquill must not have been to Hawaii! It’s called “shave ice” there.
Is the other the State fair in Sacramento?
The fairs in N California seem to be losing some of their sense of community. Our local ones have very few entries….across the board.
I agree Brighid. California is a mess in so many ways, but the weather is lovely, isn’t it?
Great pics and post! One of the things I miss about the US is county fairs!
Thomas, I am once again having trouble with WordPress and have read all of your recent posts but when I try to comment, it doesn’t work.
thanks for the cheerful photos Cheri!
looks like a day well spent
I’m glad you found them cheerful, dafna. That was my intent.
You have captured the sense of occasion both in words and in pictures, all the bustle and interest at an agricultural fair filling me with excitement and the anticipation of youth. The familiar becomes new again.
At last you find the animals and your portraits help me to realise that they are one with us and not just goods to be traded. Look at that attentive Shire (is he?) horse disdaining to offer his opinion!
Tractors, baubles, fishing, Steinbeck, kids and a dash of patriotism. Something for everyone. I thoroughly enjoyed the outing.
I’m so pleased that you enjoyed the visit to the Mid-State Fair. I was thinking of you when watching the opening ceremonies to the Olympics. I just about split a gut with that scene from Mr. Bean and also the one with Bond and the Queen and her Corgis.
We will come to England; I’m just not sure when. I want to visit the countryside.
I love your sentence ” The familiar becomes new again.”
When you see Mr Bean you think of me, huh? Ah well.
I’ll arrange for the sun to shine when you come to England so that you can see the countryside at its best.