I LOVE THE FAIR!

Those of you who are not lucky enough to have visited the Minnesota State Fair have no idea what you're missing.  It is the BEST!  I've been to state fairs in other states, but nothing compares to Minnesota's.  It's the best 12 days of summer!  Every year I anticipate the Fair, getting emails telling me who is going to be at the Grandstand, and who is going to appear on the numerous free stages on which days.  Then the planning begins.  The Fair cannot be experienced in just one day, I went three days this year and still didn't get to see all the places I wanted!  Last year I went five times so I'm feeling like a slacker today... I could go back...  I've got today and tomorrow. 
I wanted to share some of the Fair with you, so I took a few pictures:

Here is a picture of me with my darling daughter, the cheese on a stick!  This is an appropriate picture as that is her favorite Fair Food.  Doesn't it look good on her? 

 This one shows a couple of the rides you can take.  The Sky Ride with it's enclosed cars.  Fun, but hellacious on a hot day!  I don't know the name of the ride that is shown at the top of the photo.  There are two seats at each end of the long pole and it spins.  The frame just right of center is for the ejection seat.  At the time I took the photo, fairly early in the day, no one was crazy enough yet to be on it.

 The garden next to the Grandstand.

 This is the other Sky Ride with the open cars.  I'd never been on this one until this year and I loved it! The ride doesn't stop to let people on and off, that couple is waiting for the seat to hit them in the back of the legs, then an employee hurries alongside and secures the front bar.  At the end of the ride an employee opens the bar and you jump off.  I was lucky not to land on my face! 

 A shot from the Sky Ride, that's the Kiddy Midway in the foreground.

 Starla, on the ride with me.

See the little yellow stand just right of center?  That is one of the Pronto Pup stands.  My favorite Fair Food!  I have to have one every time I go to the Fair. See the people on the street?  A perfect crowd.  This will be fun to remember later...

One of the wood carvings that dot the fairgrounds.  Peace Bear!

 A shot of Machinery Hill... although I don't think they call it that anymore.  That's what it was when I was growing up and that's what we still call it.

 Every year they do something different with topiary at the Fair Entrance.  This year it is these gorgeous horses.  Check out those manes!

Another fun thing to do at the Fair!  This made me laugh.  It's set up next to the Health Fair building, where you can have your blood sugar tested, get flu shots, learn about all kinds of health related things.  This is the first year I've seen the "get your prostate examined at the Fair" bus!

 Last but not least, the crowd as we were leaving the Fair.  See all the heads?  The streets are packed!  Remember the earlier picture with the perfect crowd?  This is much more typical. 

I hope you enjoyed a quick look at a very small part of our Fair. I'm going to look through some photos from earlier years and see if I can find some good ones to post later.

In closing I would like to introduce you to my cat, Buster.  When he sleeps this way it totally cracks me up.  I'm easily amused!

Faceplant, anyone?

Now I want a Pronto Pup...