Off to the Fair, Tra la

This week is all about the Nevada State Fair. For several years now I have coordinated our local Spinning Guild's efforts. This makes some sense, since I am an absolute fair junky. I love the animals, kids, corndogs, cheesy contests and all around excitement. The Fair starts officially on Wednesday, but it has actually been going on since yesterday when the equestrian events began. Today the tents started going up, the carnies started rolling in, and mobs of youth exhibitors came in to have their cakes, pictures, crafts, and whatever judged. These are, in fair parlance, the "Static Exhibits". In other words anything that doesn't moo, neigh, baah, oink, squeek, cluck, or spit. For the umpteenth year in a row I served as a photography judge and spent this evening interviewing droves of kids about their pictures. Some of these kids are extremely talented, and with today's cameras even the Peewees (8 and under) can take technically awesome photos.

The Guild will have a large tent back by the livestock barns. As of this afternoon we had a roof but no walls. I have a promise of walls first thing tomorrow and hopefully will be rolling out flooring by mid-morning. Then the tables arrive, we hang the banner and we start setting up for display. Here's the banner drying after a nice hose-off in my back yard. I'll have lots more to say about the Fair as it progresses.



Another topic: Here is an unusual spinning wheel that has come my way. I once saw an identical one on eBay, so it is probably not a home-built. It looks kinda vaguely like a Country Spinner, but the orifice is off to the left from the treadle. I would love to have more information on its origins.











I'll leave you with one more picture from the Fair. They were laying out carpet in the large indoor arena and some poor slob had the job of vacuming about an acre of it with a standard vacume cleaner (and a really long extension cord). Glad I don't have that job!