I rolled myself home from the 2009 Oklahoma State Fair, full of all the "fair food" I could have eaten one day. Actually, I think I ate more than I could have in one day.
I was also packing memories that will last me a lifetime. Even without all the photos of the fair I took. I met some great folks, saw some great sites and had a terrific time. I would say "just like every year," but, somehow, it gets better every year.
I met Froggie. He is a member of "Bikers Against Child Abuse" (BACA) and a genuinely nice man. We talked as we watched my daughter on the carousel. He told me had just left court; he had been there helping a child that had been abused. I learned a lot about BACA as my daughter waved from her purple horse.
I saw the livestock that was about to be shown. I met a very sweet bull named "Sanddollar Charger" who stole my heart. I didn't know bulls could love having their pictures taken so much. He had to have known what a camera was because he really hammed it up for me. Hammed it up! He's a bull. Sorry, I shouldn't laugh so hard at my own "funnies."
The "nursery" was great. We say baby goats (triplets) that were two days old and piglets that were four days old. We watched a baby chick hatch. The three of us stood in awe as another life entered the world. My daughter announced she wants baby pigs to live in our house. That was when we knew it was time to go to the insect exhibit. The beehive was fascinating, but she didn't want one of those at home.
My husband dragged me and my daughter out of the petting zoo. I knew he would have to that. She loved the camel and thought he was much softer than the sheep. She and I are both curious why a kangaroo and a turtle shared living quarters. They got along great, but it was an unusual combination.
I rode all the rides. I even got on the swings with my daughter. I can ride any roller coaster, "spin in tight circles" ride and the "drop you millions of feet" rides, but I don't do well on the ones where my feet dangle. Strange, I know, but that is me. I need to have a "Zipper" installed in my backyard. I could ride that one forever.
Of course, there was the food. I won't tell you how many of each I had, but I overly-enjoyed all the stuff they had to offer. I would love to have the recipe for fried Oreos and fried Twinkies. Why they aren't a food group all to themselves is a mystery to me. You can't live without them. I did eat some healthy stuff as well. The turkey legs were great as was the corn on the cob.
Unfortunately, the fair is over for this year. It was much more fun than last year which was much more fun than the year before. I sincerely hope I never get to old for the fair. I don't see how.
Happy Oklahoma traveling,
Emma Riley Sutton
