The great Minnesota get-together

August lingers in my memory like the flannel cover on the old heating pad--warm and flowered--but now autumn is sidling in with the also very warm first days of September here in Minnesota.
We made two trips to the Minnesota State Fair, once was for the food and the second trip to see a live broadcast of Garrison Keillor and the Prairie Home Companion in the very same Grandstand where Teddy Roosevelt gave his “Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick” speech in 1901. The locals are known to go all eleven days but the average is three times.
I saw it with my own eyes!

The fairgrounds actually have paved streets, a huge carnival midway, politicians at the local DFL (Democratic Farmer Labor Party) booth including Al Franken above and local music. The food day was an adventure to see how many things we could find sold on a stick: pickles rolled in kool-aid, candy bars, pork chops, hot-dish, corn, and my personal favorite, the Pronto-Pup's cousin, deep-fried Twinkies. Audrey and I shared one on our way out of the grounds for the day; however, she didn't want me to put her photo on my blog. Sooooo, I think by using the block you will not know that it is my daughter, Audrey, holding a Twinkie on a Stick, o.k.?

We visited the various barns, caught a glimpse of the Royal Canadian Mounties' program in the horse arena, the art shows and the various and sundry commercial sites. Next year I plan to do my homework and devise a plan to see EVERYthing if it takes all eleven days. Do I hear myself?!

If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans.

James Herriot