Ah, the county fair.  A place where people purposefully go to sweat, take in the aroma of animal poop and ride rides that make them nauseous.  It’s a chance for those of us who are clueless about how things work on a farm to get a tiny taste of what it might be like.

My husband, who grew up in the country calls things like this, hayrack rides and pumpkin patches the kind of thing that country people like to do to make fun of city people.  I mean, I’ll be honest, I didn’t know there were that many kinds of chickens.  Or rabbits.  I didn’t know a rabbit could get that big.  I’m sure when it hops it’s like the dinosaur in Jurassic Park.

Let’s talk bushels.  The only reference I know of a bushel are the song lyrics “I love you a bushel and a peck”.   So, how was I to be impressed that a bushel could make over 200 servings of pasta if I didn’t know how big a bushel was?  Thank goodness I had people in my party who had a clue.

And then there’s the food.  Everything is on a stick.  Hamburgers on a stick were a new one for me.  Everything is fried including potatoes, pickles, and turkey legs.  Have you ever watched anyone eat a turkey leg?  I did today and I have to say, it’s not pretty.  The good stuff is all in a hall with ribbons attached, each slightly eaten and despite the fact that they’ve been siting in a case for several days, they still look better than the giant corn dogs next to the carnival rides.

In another building were the “fine arts” where people created clothing, quilts, fairy gardens and art pieces.  My favorites were pictures done by the 5 years and under group, a delightful array of finger paintings, crayon drawings and scribbles.  The blue ribbon went to a lovely mermaid drawing with great details in the flowers in her hair, perfect profile, sitting on a rock in the middle of the ocean.  Obviously done by a VERY gifted 5 year old (or under), or someone whose science project one day with get an “A” for her parents.

The carnival rides all go in circles.  Big circles, little circles, high circles and low circles.  Rides to sit in, stand up in and lay down on.  Some have you going in multiple circles, you spinning while the entire ride is spinning, almost guaranteeing you will be nauseous.  My grandson’s other grandma  carried an extra large drink cup with her just in case he needed it.  He didn’t, but smart lady.

The fashion styles at these kinds of things are interesting too.  No matter what you wear, put cowboy boots with it and it makes it country.  I get it for the people working with the animals, but for us city slickers, not so much.  Of course, boots were better than the short tight dresses with high heels.  Really? And can we talk mullets?  I saw the most magnificent gray mullet, short and curly on top, long and straight to the waist in the back.  Stunning.

So, taking this all in, feeling the sweat running down the back of my neck, taking in the aromas of the poop alongside the corndogs, I thought about how much I am like my dad.  I love a great steak in a nice air-conditioned restaurant, I just don’t want to see or smell it before they butcher it.  I love my bacon, but I don’t want to see the pig or what part of the pig the bacon came from.  It’s not necessary.  I’m perfectly content with buying it at the grocery store in a package or having it served to me on a plate.  I have a great appreciation for those who make farming their passion, their career or livelihood, but I don’t need to be anywhere near it.

The one positive thing I got from all of this however, during a time when I was trying to be more mindful, was just how creative God is.  I honestly didn’t know there were that many types, colors and sizes of chickens.  It’s an amazing array.  In that small area, there were animals of every conceivable size, shape and color, with different types of coats, hair or fur, producing different sounds – you get the idea.  If we believe God is the example of what we should strive to be, creativity ought to be at the top of the list.  I am not as creative as I would like to be, but I certainly appreciate it when I see it.

Well, not sure I felt like I was being made fun of, but I wasn’t seeing this from a country person’s point of view.  I felt like I learned some things and this excursion solidified the fact that I’m a city girl through and through who is looking forward to that hayrack ride this fall to the pumpkin patch.