Two evenings at the State Fair

In case you missed it, this is the second post I've done today. (If you haven't read #1 yet, spoiler alert. Poppy was a rock star.)

The Oregon State Fair is a highlight of the summer for me, and several of you have commented that you look forward to my posts about it. So when I went with Rick both Sunday and Monday nights, I was looking for photos to make and share.

The first order of business for Rick is walking through the livestock barns to look for obvious signs of illness or distress, along with checking to see if anyone requested a vet's visit. Me, I go along to enjoy all the animals, some with crazy coats and hairdos;  standing, suckling, sleeping, showing and even playing "king of the straw bale" with a cute kiddo.

Rick and I both thought the piglet straddling a sibling looked like Leo 🤣

I think these were fashionable decades ago!

Rick also checks at the horse show office, and we try to take in whatever Draft Horse class that starts out the evening performance schedule. Sunday night it was Ladies' Team:

After the Draft class, we took a mosey through a small building with horticultural exhibits, and then sat and listened to a good bluegrass band for awhile.

Feeling a little peckish, we found a booth offering individual wood-fired pizzas. We each got a veggie (with jalapeños added to mine) and ate them while tapping our toes to an Irish trio's fun music:

First Fair food of 2023 – tasty!

Someone has been a busy beaver, because there are new wood figures all over the grounds this year:

When we returned Monday evening, I had my own 'first order of business.' We walked straight to the Oregon Dairy Women's barn and got raspberry milkshakes. Then we walked through the livestock barns!

We passed this piglet on the way.

This pig was making a racket – until Rick reached out and started scratching her back.

pajama party

a Lincoln love

we missed the Draft class Monday evening but caught this mini driving class

The Creative Living exhibit hall is a must-see for me. There are so many interesting hobbies and talents on display, but I confined my picture-taking to the textiles end.

examples woven with "the colors of Oregon"

Before I was done admiring the quilts, Rick got hungry and wandered off. He came back to share the last bite of his falafel sandwich – which made me want more, even though I wasn't really hungry. So we went back to the Gyro stand and I asked if I could get just the falafel. They were happy to oblige:

Then it was time for one last walk-through before leaving. The miniature Herefords that arrived that day were settled in for the night:

The next time I'll be at the State Fair will be with this girl:

Stella and I have been asked back to be on Team Morgan for the Battle Between Breeds Thursday evening. Now that I know what to expect, I'm looking forward to the experience, and we are going to dress to the nines for our role as the dressage representatives. I began prepping today, and will finish up tomorrow, but for the bathing and braiding of Stella on Thursday afternoon.

Until then, that's it from . . .

A flood of Fair photos...

 ...coming up next. 😉

But first!

Sunday was a busy day. I got up way before dawn to get chores, etc. done so Poppy and I could head north for our third agility trial. For the first time, we were going to "play the games" (the phrase I use to let Poppy know we're going to do agility stuff) away from the facility where we take classes and our first two matches were held. Would she stay with me in the ring, or run around to explore the new surroundings?

Clark Co. Fairgrounds arena, big enough for TWO agility rings. I've shown dressage here before.

As you can see, she (mostly) stayed with me! Our first two runs were outstanding, so I took a photo of Poppy with her qualifying and first place ribbons. By our third run, just as she did in our first two trials, Poppy started to lose focus and ventured off to visit the ring crew, but to my surprise we still managed to both qualify and win the class. Another photo was in order....

I took lots of photos while volunteering in the ring, but this was the only one worth sharing:

It's a flying Cavalier!

When I got home, Rick wanted to know if I'd ride with him to the State Fair for evening rounds. I was pretty pooped, but a cool breeze was blowing and I definitely wanted to visit the Fair sometime, so.... I ran down to make sure all the critters had water and feed – and was momentarily arrested by this:

The sheepfold swallows have fledged!

Next up: the first batch of Fair photos from . . .

A more muted palette

After Friday's 'riot of color' post, this is a reminder that white, gray, black and brown are colors, too. 😉

These are (mostly) the four cross-bred chickens we got from the neighbors who moved away last year. Puff, the Crevecoeur cross whose face always looks dirty, went broody for a bit so everyone else had to work around her.

Puff with Splash (a Whiting True Blue) behind her

Pearl (who looks a lot like Splash but isn't as nice) and RBG

Puff and RBG

Ashes

My August-spun and plied yarn (dark gray Zwartbles, light gray and white Harsil):

'Baa baa black sheep' – my three pretty black ewe lambs (plus Blaise) after coat changes:

not a great photo of Bauble's fleece, but her crimp has come in nicely!

Bonnie, mid-side

Bitta, mid-side

After a grungy spell that smelled of smoke, our atmosphere has mostly cleared again:

weird light from smoke in the air

this morning's sky was back to blue

Rick's two-week stint as the State Fair veterinarian started today. (The Fair doesn't open to the public until Friday, but the 4-Hers arrive tomorrow and he had to oversee the barns' preparations.) It's going to  be a hectic couple of weeks, but there should be some fun in there as well.

That's it for now from . . .