An Evening at the Alaska State Fair

I had fully intended to go to the Fair Thursday afternoon....but didn't end up leaving the office until after 5...and when I got home, I said, "I think I'll just lie down for a quick nap".....after all, I'd been up the past 36 some odd hours......but I guess I was more tired than I realized because the next thing I knew it was 6am Friday morning....oh well....
So after clinic Friday I went home and the man said...."let's have a date night and run up to the Fair"...so we did.

After pulling into the parking area, paying our entrance fee and walking along the paths of vendors...he says to me "so do you want to eat first or go see your how your shawls did first?"

I gave him "The Look"....so we meandered over to the correct huge corrugated metal building and started looking for knitted goodness.....so many knitting entries....I didn't see mine at all .......at first....then the man says.." look...up there"....


Were my eyes deceiving me? was it true? Why yes...yes indeed...the Lady E....with a nice shiny BLUE RIBBON...pinned to her fair self!


WHOOOHOOO!!!!!!


Well that certainly made my day! The SunRay also ribboned...a nice white 3rd place :) which also made me very very very happy! I tried to get a pic, but it was too dark.....also the grand prize winner...which was an incredible colorwork sweater on size 1s......very gorgeous....way the heck outta my league! too bad the pic of that was too dark as well....

After critiquing the rest of the knitted goodness, I had quite an appetite....but wanting to stay somewhat on the lean side, opted to forgo all the deep fried zucchini, garlic potato chips, cheese steaks, etc.....hmmmm...Turkey is ALWAYS a healthy choice...right...


The man also had a turkey leg....then he had a Buffalo Burger.......me...I just wanted dessert....I passed by the deep fried Twinkies, the cheesecake in a cone...and the funnel cakes to get my personal favorite...Denali Cream Puffs...mmmmm! Being unable to decide between berry topping or caramel with pecans.....we got one of each to share....hmmmm...which one first?


Sooooo fulll! Time to walk it off.....I love looking at all the fair vendors...and purchased some fresh raw creamed honey...one jar for myself...and one jar for my Knit1Tea2 Swap Buddy! We then went to the Farm Barn....the Giant Cabbage /Giant vegetable contests aren't until this week, but there were aleady some of our impressive veggies on display! What can you do with over 19# of turnip?


And look at these beans! Bet you could get your daily fiber quota in just one serving of these, hah!


I bypassed the poultry this year.....there were no Golden Pheasants on display (my favs)....and the little funny looking chickens don't compete until later in the week also (I love funny looking chickens and hope to have a brood of them when I retire someday.......really, just a farm girl at heart!) But there were lots and lots of goats......and several sweet little sheepies!


Every year someone also brings in a brood sow that ends up giving birth during the Fair....the new baby pigs are such a hit! Poor mama sow was so uncomfortable....you could see the little piglets inside just turning and rolling and kicking....I'm betting she'll deliver within the next 48hours. I felt sorry for her and opted to not take a picture of her....I mean goodness, would YOU want a photo of yourself all miserable and swollen and all.....I didn't think so.....Soooo...I meandered on down the stalls and found a cute litter of 3week old piglets....There tails were just a wagging and they were climbing on each other and grunting and squealing....gotta love baby pigs! (CBM knows!)


And how about this lovely lady? So serene amongst all the lowing cattle, bleating goats and sheep.....lots of Llamas up here...very hardy and used for packing for hikers into the back country....the man kept asking if they were alpacas.....see he's learning all sorts of fibery things....maybe he'll get a Cobblestone for Christmas if he keeps this up!


But 10pm rolled around too quickly...and being not so young...the man and I headed home...leaving the lights and rides and noise and fireworks for the rest of the crowd to enjoy.......


It was a very nice date.....and a wonderful surprise to get a blue ribbon AND a white ribbon. I'll definately enter again!