The Lynden Fair

So.

While the big boys are constantly in my thoughts and prayers, as they are suffering maturing and learning down at Cascade Falcon, we at home decided to go to the fair!  Judging from how many times Gunnar has told me what a great time he had and thanked me for taking him, I'd say the day was a big success.  (Except for the barfing, but that was a very brief interlude.)  He was kind of mad at me for insisting we go Tuesday (when the temps were supposed to be 10-15 degrees cooler, you'll-thank-me-later) rather than Wednesday (when friends from church we're going to be available), but as it hit 82 by late afternoon he condescended to admit I had been right.

I'd been priming him all week that The Fair Is Not All About The Rides and We Are Going To Look At Animals and We Are Even Going To Look At Quilts.  I have to say that I'm a bit sad we're past the days when the boys want to sit on all the tractors, but can you guess where Gunnar wanted to go first?

The Rabbit Barn.

He took many, MANY pictures of very cute bunnies.

He does not always remember that Kerry's camera doesn't focus well THAT CLOSE.

So I'll give you just this one.  Cute.

We took a quick pass through the Poultry Barn, right next door, but the smell was...  fowl.

Ha ha ha...

How did we not get any pictures of our friends and their dairy cows?

How???

Love the very, very pregnant sow.

Actually, I loved the realism of the swine barn.

Yes, these animals are well cared for and some are probably loved...

but they are FOOD, not pets.

And how did we not get any photos of our other friends' beautiful Halflinger horses?

Sorry, Gunnar, there are no big cats at the fair, but we've got birds of prey :D

And lots of draft horses and wagons.

We took in the Grandstand Show.

Notice how the prestigious seating up front is empty.

We grabbed lunch and headed up into the shady bleachers :D

This is a real fair, with real, local people, and a wide variety of acts.

Like a draft horse drill team.

Some trick riders, which reminded us of Little Britches.

The mutton-busting happened too fast to get pictures.

But you've probably seen little 5-10 year olds trying to ride sheep, haven't you?

And we all cheered for the chariot races, two-horse and four-horse chariots.

Gunnar was glad to find some friends from our neighborhood.

So much more fun to have friends to ride with!

And the midway was calling...

But what's a fair, without fair food?!

We started our morning sharing a plate of Poffertjes, served up by our friend Alexa :D

Gunnar wanted a corn-dog for lunch, and Kerry shared the fries that came with his salmon, but I headed to the BBQ Beef Barn for a sandwich, and found Aunt Tami at the cash register.

Kerry had a craving for an elephant ear, which Gunnar was very suspicious of until he realized it was basically a cinnamon tortilla.

But I wanted a moo-wich, from the Dairy Wives.

We passed on the deep-fried Twinkies, candy-bars, pb&j's, and pizza...

... but later, needed a sno-cone to beat the heat!

And no, Gunnar was not deprived of rides ;D

We decided to "warm up" at the little kids' section,

which is not exactly all baby rides, y'know?

Gunnar told me he was summoning up all his manliness to go on the big rides.

They spun,

and dropped...

(from left to right - Gunnar, William, Juliann, and Emma)

and coasted...

and quickly graduated to the wilder stuff.

More spinning...

flying...

(that's Gunnar and William at the top)

and Gunnar even rode the Moon-Raker by himself because none of his friends would go with him.

How did we not get a good pic of that?  It looked like this.

But this one... this one was his downfall.

Way too much spinning.

But he wasn't out for the count ;D

Talked Kerry into hang-gliding with him.

And joining him on the Super Shot, a free-fall drop, not for the faint of heart!

But we always close out a fair day with my favorite...

... the Ferris Wheel :D