Will, Marla, and Tiffany joined us on Friday afternoon for a visit to the Clackamas County Fair. We're not sure this trio of recent Oregon transplants enjoyed the rural fun as much as we did. (Friday was Tiffany's first full day as an Oregonian — everyone give her a warm welcome!)

Kris once again braved the llamas. She thinks they're dangerous. She didn't get a chance to see this Kris Gates doppleganger laying the smack down on her beast. It might have changed her mind:

Kris was more enthusiastic about the plants, and not just the flowers. In the vegetable exhibit, she was drawn to the garden oddities:

It's too bad Harrison and Emma ate their crazy carrot; it might have been a prize winner! I was more drawn to the peppers:

There's more than livestock and agriculture at the fair, of course. There's cotton candy and juggling acts and the Republican Party (and the Democratic Party) and a rodeo and lots of rides and games. We didn't see any of that. We did see some of the dancing competition (note the "are you going to heaven?" sign in the background):

We also saw the pioneer village (with the master broomsmith) and a giant chainsaw-carved Sasquatch:

Two years ago I entered some images in the photography exhibit and won several prizes. I entered half as many images this year. The following was the only prize winner (second in animals, insects, etc.):

We spent a lot of time eating fair food: elephant ears, funnel cakes, onion rings, iced lemonade, and other goodies. I live for elephant ears: sugary goodness. Perhaps the group's favorite thing at the fair this year was the Geek-a-Cycle.

"You need one of those," Marla told Will.

"So does J.D.," Kris said.

On this day at foldedspace.org

2003 — Chess Life   In which I am a chess geek.