The County Fair

Growing up, there was one thing that I looked forward to every July (even more than my birthday)...the County Fair. And the Wright County Fair is in full swing this week, so here's a little tribute to what makes it such a special place to be.

Of course, one of the primary purposes of the fair is to exhibit and judge the projects of 4-H and FFA members. So in addition to having our cattle ready, we also spent several months doing projects in cooking, sewing, home improvement, etc. Oh how we hated sitting at the sewing machine ripping out crooked seams instead of being outside on a summer day. And do you realize how many sheets of cookies it takes to get 12 that look almost perfect...and are the same size?! And then to sit with a judge as they analyzed your projects, tasted your food, and asked you questions...I'd hate to think about how bad some of the food they tasted might have been! But through the torture, it was aways rewarding to see the blue and purple ribbons displayed on your projects. And I was really excited when I had things chosen to go to state fair.

But the project side of the fair is nothing compared the friendships and fun times. We camped on the fairgrounds (6 miles from home), so there were endless games of cards, spoons, and bullsh#*. It was almost like a week long slumber party! And we spent a lot of time in the barns supposedly watching after cattle and pigs...but mostly we played cards, flirted with boys, and played practical jokes. But one of the best parts of the week...the annual water fight after the sale. The fair was officially over so no one could get in too much trouble...and it usually got ugly. Everyone was soaked before the day was done. And that probably helped cover up the tears that rolled down people's faces as they saw their market animals get hauled away to the packing plant.

Fun times! And great memories.