Another Visit to the State Fair

Today Grandpa Al is the photographer so he doesn't get to be in any of these pictures.

 While we were at the fair, he also photographed a series of pictures for Hunter's blog...

about dining out at the state fair.

Group photo at the Dinner Bell where we ate country-big pancakes

and shared the Special.

We had only a morning to spend (Kim and I cut kids' tickets out of the Sunday paper so the boys got in free) because Art Camp started at 12:30.

We decided to do the things that the fair is really all about--trophy winners.

Here's the Champion Ram.

We watched judging of various venues,

admired draft horses while they showered,

and sat in the bleachers to see the performances and judging of the light horses.

Here's Blake with the Champion Boar...see his cut-off tusks?

He eats from a bowl labeled fatty.

He's a mean guy so his owner kept a chair up

against the fence so the boar wouldn't put his snout out at anyone.

Although the morning was NOT about Midway rides,

we did do the classics: The Sky Ride and Ye Old Mill.

Ye Old Mill was the first ride built for the fair years ago...

consists of boats floating on the currents driven by a mill...

in the dark of a tunnel...

family entertainment unlike the wild, expensive rides on the Midway.

Great day, great boys.

No one whined or begged.

These days, they like to learn things :)