Every 25 years

The Sonoma County Fair is a big deal in this area.  It's 15 days long and hosts some 300,000 people.  I know folks who go every year and even exhibit every year.  Alas, that would not be me.  I haven't attended since some time back in the '80s.  However, with Youngest Grandson here it seemed like a good thing to do so we set out this morning (after a breakfast of cooked multi-grain cereal, see, I knew it would come in handy before school starts).

We were well matched, YG and I.  I offered him rides - would gladly have ridden the ferris wheel with him - but he's not the kind of kid who's into the carnival scene.  With few exceptions, I'm not either and am convinced that the sole purpose of some of them is to make me throw up.

What YG was interested in - and me too - was the flower show, for one.  It was awesome.  The theme was "Ports of Call" so there were various presentations of ship ports.  Two were of the salmon run in Ketchikan, Alaska, which I've seen, and this one in Brazil.

I wanted to see the art exhibits because I know friends who have paintings hung there.  I was inspired to do my very, very best in my upcoming class.  I mean, this was the county fair, for god's sake, not the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, but I was inspired anyway.

We probably spent more time with the 4-H kids than anywhere else.  I always thought the 4 Hs were qualities like Honor and Honesty.  When I googled to figure out the other two I learned that the four are Head, Heart, Hands and Health - did you already know that?  Anyway, the kids looked so snappy in their white pants and shirts with green scarves and they were trying so very hard during the dog obedience program to get their pets to behave perfectly so they could bring home blue ribbons.

We watched chickens pecking out of their shells and piglets who were very young, even the one who wanted to escape.

After a gyros lunch plate - delicious, something I never, ever order - we looked at every sheep and goat in the hall.  I draw sheep but want a goat.  I mean, just look at the babies in the box - isn't that the definition of cute?

If any one of them goes missing it would be this one and I would know just where to find it.  This is what I wanted to bring home:

I know someone who raises them.  She says mini goats make great pets and can be housebroken and live civilly with humans and dogs.  I want one.  I really, really want one!