The State Fair
October signals the beginning of great and wonderful things for me and my family:
>The weather becomes cooler, the highs are only 93-95 degrees rather than 100-110.
>October has the birthdays of my only sister "Wooka", my Aunt Mildred and my cousin Tarra
>October brings the AZ State Fair with its fried Oreos (I've never eaten any of these, yuck!), farm animals, harrowing rides, out-of-this-world corndogs. When I was a young girl my parents always took us to the Fair and me and my brother and sister would ride and run, eat and laugh and try to win those gigantic stuffed animals until we puked or pooked out, whichever happened first. My parents would spend most of their time meandering through the Crafts sections. I loved the Fair because I could touch real animals, go through the Haunted Houses and try to win a goldfish.
The Fair has a smell all its own. It reminds me of wet asphalt, barbecue grills and hot motor oil all mixed in as one. I get one whiff of that smell and I'm instantly transported to that time when life was worry-free, our book of ride tokens ran forever and we always had enough money to buy at least two corndogs and try to win those cheap gifts.
After I finished high school the Fair had lost much of its luster and attractiveness. I had more pressing concerns-like finding money to pay for college. Also, gang violence threatened to close the Fair as each year the violence would erupt, shattering the peaceful chaos that is the Fair.
As my nieces and nephews came along though, I re-visited the Fair and while the kids ran along eating and riding 'til they puked or pooked, I spent more time in the Crafts sections marveling at the blankets, canned foods, vegetables and pies etc.
My favourite time to take the kids to the Fair would be late afternoon while the sun was bright and it was still too warm for sweaters. Then, as evening would fall all the lights from the rides and booths would appear little by little making the Fair seem even more of a magical place.
Those 'kids' are all grown now, the youngest is 21 and lives in Boise with her father. But I have two more-Jasmine & Mooka, both seven who haven't been to the Fair with me. I'm planning on taking them this year if the Lord says the same. I can't wait to see their faces as they rip and run, ride and eat and touch the animals. I just hope they don't puke in my car.
posted by Debo Blue | Thursday, October 04, 2007
19 Comments:
Oh, what sweet memories you bring back from my youth. I haven't been to a fair in 18 years now. My spouse was pregnant with Poot the last time we went. Thanks for this post. You have reminded me of some of the best times I remember.
Later Y'all.
For me it was the travelling fairs that moved from small town to small town over the summer, staying a week at a time.
No gang violence, but I'm still a little leery or carnies!
Thanks!
Although our country fair here is one of the oldest in the state - also ranks as one of the best too -I rarely attend. (It's the recluse side of me coming out, don't 'cha know?
But one thing I love at the fair and also the little fireman's carnivals that take place throughout the spring and summer here are "Funnel cakes" -mmmmmm so good! Totally non-fattening too Debo. (Yes, I lie from time to time -but only for effect.) But they are sooooo darned good, sweet, greasy too -who can resist 'em and what the heck is a few calories too between friends. Right? Just agree with me cause you know I'm right!
I love October. Its my favorite month for some of the same reasons. It starts to get cooler here too.
Our State fair is in February, but I love the fair too. I ate a fried Twinkie once.
I sure miss those sweet days :-)
I only went to the state fair once. I was somewhere in my teens; and, I'm about to give you a pretty good clue as to my age. I saw the Supremes on the outdoor stage. Pretty good stuff. The Winter before or after, I can't remember, I went to the Detroit Auto Show and saw The Tempations. No fill ins. The originals. Pretty amazing stuff.
I went to a county fair in my early twenties with a girlfriend. Oh was I stupid. The Carny sucked twenty bucks from me as I tried my best to win one of the plush animals for my girl.
Bittersweet?
Oh, corn dogs? I've never been able to appreciate their, I'm not sure, as I've just never much liked them. Kind of a poorly executed hotdog, one of the finest foods known to humankind.
fried oreos. sounds absolutely gharsley. But something has to be said for such enterprise in the quest for saturated fats.
I remember going to diwali fairs too with my parents. that truly was magical. like I could 'smell' the excitement around it! Lovely post, deep deep debo, you really do have a way of recreating moments.
What a lovely trip down memory lane! :) I love a State Fair too. For all of the reasons you mentioned. I especially love elephant ears or funnel cakes though. When I lived in South Carolina and worked in Columbia where our State Fair was held, I used to go to the fair for lunch! lol Have fun!!!
Your post was great, but brought back recent memories of my 'riding days'
I puked - not pooked.
I think the same carnies that Bob Johnson was talking about were ironically the exact same carnies (really) that I'm familiar with as a youngster. They were pretty scary.
Ryan, did you have Wagner shows, too?
Melon-are u ok? You're being way too serious. You're scaring us!
Bob-I've never met a carnie I couldn't ignore. Sorry they scared you:-)
Jeni-don't know what a funnel cake is but I agree fair foods are low in calorie and saturated fats (hehehe).
Sonjab-fried Twinkies? Ewww. How do they fry fat?
B-you miss those days? You're only twelve, what do you know? Just kidding;-)
Dave-when you went to the fair, did you have love beads and ponchos or am I in the wrong decade?
H-thanks for the compliment and for sharing the memories!
Sugar-why didn't I think of that? Going to the fair for lunch. Genius!
Ryan-still can't hold your doughnuts and liquor, huh?
Hi
Love the Fall, although having relatives in Pheonix- I had to laugh that your considering fall temps to be in the 90's and loving the coolness. Although I am not much better here in CA where I think low 80's are cold and we too are having a nice fall.
It is really nice you have so much family around you and you take time to enjoy them!
Thanks for visiting my site today-actually we just used a little digital Cannon power Shot SD600 for the pictures, although my husband does have some really fancy camera that I don't use much.
Have a nice weekend!
it's been so long since I've been to a fair - but I do love it - and the crafts sections 'specially :)
Ok Debo - Make sure you stop by my place soon and pick up a present I have waiting there for you - and no, it isn't a MEME either! Just a little gift I believe you really deserve! By the way - funnel cakes or kind of a strange misshaped form of a French beignet. They take this batter and pour it into hot oil and fry it -like a doughnut -except it is not in that shape -it's circular and the dough just sort of winds around. Then they sprinkle it with confectioners sugar and it is just really yummy. Best description I can give of it anyway! Probably from the Pennsylvania Dutch community originally I'm thinking.
October signifies Fall and what I call football weather!!!
I luv it, I luv it, I want more of it!!
Can you believe, I've never been to a fair?
I hope you get to take the kids. I used to go to the Western Washington State fair when I was a kid. Same experience--check out the cows and pigs and see what 4-H kids won for the animals or giant pumpkins they raised. I'd probably appreciate the crafts now. Since I've had my own kids I've only been to one state fair. It sure is time to go again!
Thanks for sharing the memories.
Hi!
Octouber is a great month for me too... one of the things of my happies is my birthday, october 13th.
here is spring in october, that is cool, but in the other hand, there are a lot of rains in october, and is a bad thing when you have to work.
I like october too.
bye bye
CaRo
Ok Debo - Don't come stalking me, or sending a hit man to do me in but, you know I admire your blog, your basic style within it very much and as such, I have thus TAGGED you for the SEO: Search Engine Optimization MEME. It doesn't require you to write a whole new post -just to select three of your "all time favorites" and list them according to the rules of the meme. Your buddy Dave is in this too, so you're in excellent company ya know! And also, I'm still your #1 fan - I think.
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