Fair Queen

On Tuesday Cora and I headed up Lake County to meet up with the family for and evening at the annual county fair. We had a terrific time, and Cora was obviously thrilled with all there was to look at. Cora's Grandma and Grandpa were there, as were Drew & Tricia & Ashley & Alex, and Kyle & Sarah & Logan. Cora's really starting to "get" the family. She understands that they go together as a group, she's learning everyone's names (Ashee, Ayex, Doo, Chisha, Kyka, Sa'a, Yoga, Gampa, Gamma), and she's getting that these people are special to her and that she has individual relationships with each of them. It's gratifying to see her forming those bonds.

We all gathered at this corner and decided it was time to take a break from checking out exhibits and get some fair food.
Grandpa excused himself to go get a corndog, but when Cora realized how far away he was really going, she stood at the edge of the patio plaintively calling, "GAAAMMMPAAA!! . . . GAAAMMMPAAA!! . . ." When she turned back to us with welling eyes and quivering chin, Grandma asked if she wanted to be taken to where Grandpa was. That got a tearful and emphatic "YES!" So Grandma took her off into the crowd, and several minutes later these two buddies re-emerged, pleased as punch.


My mom's side of the family goes back generations with the Fair, and I have many memories of going every year as a kid. Time marches on, though, and this year the fair moved from its historic site to new fairgrounds. It was familiar and new at the same time, much like seeing all your furniture moved into a new house. Exhibits that used to be housed in four or five separate buildings are now all under one giant roof.

Note everyone looking away from the Republican booth. Avert your eyes! (Just kidding):
Hey, Cousin! Nice wheels:
Grandpa and Alex at the 4-H exhibit:
Photography exhibit:
Prize-winning agriculture:
Prize-winning currants:
Prize-winning cabbages:
*sigh* Where's my red pencil? Aunt Tricia carried Cora through all of the animal barns. It was the perfect vantage point to be able to see well while feeling safe from all those snouts and muzzles making their loud noises! Plus then Cora and Tricia could converse more easily.
Cora can name all the different farm animals in her books at home, but at the fair she kept trying to declare them all "cows!" Sometimes she was right:Other times not so much:
The Clydesdales were on display:
That's a big horse!
Getting late, time to head home.

When next year's fair rolls around, we'll already be living in Minneapolis! I can't believe it. Hopefully Cora has many fairs ahead of her, though.