Unsung Hero - Jorge

There was a very quiet sweet man that was working on a small silver object in front of himself. 

His only tools were a razor-thin saw and a lamp. I liked watching him work.

We did find out that his name is Jorge, though I know little more as we had a language barrier. I wished I was more fluent in Spanish so we could really talk. 

Jorge would take his saw and carefully carve out the name we requested in the silver ring, or gold, we had a choice, and he would put the name or word into the metal ring, bracelet, or key we'd chosen. He would work with a huge smile and an attention to detail. 

I got several family names and my own, Grandma's of course, my last name, and even my first published book "Godfrey Comedy Magic Show Activity Book". I chose silver rings and carry them as my key ring everywhere I go. I like to think of Jorge when I carry them, he’d wave and tell us to have a good day. I know he enjoyed to laugh, and was friends with other vendors, he could talk to them easily.

I haven't seen him in over a year and this makes me wish I could have talked to him so much more, I do know that his wife often times would travel with him from show to show, and I know that he enjoyed her company a lot.

I hope to see him down the road.

Scavenger hunts

I really love it when a fair will have a scavenger hunt. 

I like that they know what I would like to see. Of course there are foods, concerts and rides, but the scavenger hunt gives additional ideas, things to go see, you might not even know are at the fair. 

The railroad and models area, your favorite school exhibit, something healthy to eat, mini donuts, baby pigs, hay stacking competition. 

Quilts, wood makers tooling out tops and toys, and even the rock and mineral exhibits. I love that they have dark rooms so we can see rocks glowing in the dark, that is a real thing!

The list of what you can see at the fair is endless. 
Some scavenger hunts show the entertainment or 4-H projects. 
Some hunts are booths around the fair. 

I think that having the scavenger hunt gives you a fun way to explore the fair. 
Plus you will be more likely to find people and places you didn't know were there, like the Lego competition, the soup competition, and even how to make your own flour tortillas. 

Sometimes the fair web pages have them ready to print out and you can take them with you. 
Some of the fairs offer prizes as an incentive, while others just say go explore and have fun. 
One hunt I really think is a lot of fun is the Selfie Challenge The North Carolina State fair offered.  We are already taking selfies, what a fun way to save the memories you are currently making. 
#guilty 
#selfies 
#IdoThisAlltheTime

Fairs are always trying to get you to see more and more each year, there are magicians, jugglers, singers, dancers, 4-H animals, auctions, competitions, parades, and a variety of vendors. There is so much to do and see, I hope this inspires you to go try to do a scavenger hunt of your own, or create one for you and the family.

Use your imagination. 

Here are some scavenger hunts to print out as well. 

Scavenger Hunt: N.C. State Fair 

Scavenger Hunt: Minnesota State Fair 

Scavenger Hunt: Olmsted County Fair 

Scavenger Hunt: Pensacola Fair 

Pickle Icee

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I love dill pickles.

I am good friends with the owners of Pony Espresso coffee shop at the fairgrounds. This is a great combination because Silas knows just how much I love jumbo dill pickles and so he said, "Bring me a jumbo dill pickle and some pickle juice, and I'll make you a homemade pickle drink." 

Now that's a friend!! 

I went over to a nearby vendor, got my pickle and juice, they were so cool to help me. I went back to Silas beaming with anticipation. 

Okay, don't get too grossed out, it wasn't milk,  or cream related,  it was ice, pickle juice, and a dill pickle combined. But it was as smooth as a  smoothie and there were little bits of pickle in each sip.

What a treat!! And he made it before it was a thing.

(Sorry Sonic, my friends beat you to it)

It is a tad salty and perfect for a hot summer day, and I was thrilled to be able to say I was the first to have one, and only one I am aware of on the fairgrounds.

I think it needs to be a regular fair thing. 

Don't you agree?

These are a few of my Favorite Things

My Favorite Ride :

OMG! So many flips, turns and height, I went on it 5 times so much fun! 

Arizona State Fair Phoenix, AZ

My Favorite Parking: (yes I said Parking) 

Lane County Fair Eugene, OR

The Sheriff parked us on Horseback! 

My Favorite New Event I've recently seen: 

Rural Rodeo 

Antelope Valley Fair Lancaster, CA

My Favorite Theme Fair: 

San Diego County Fair

San Diego, CA

My Favorite Concert: 

KC and the Sunshine Band

Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival, CA

My Favorite Exhibit (Judged): 

3D printed art and the drawings the students used as blueprints to their 3D pieces

Colorado River Fair Blythe, CA

My Favorite Fair APP: 

YAPP for android and iphone

California Mid-Winter Fair and Fiesta Imperial, CA 

My Favorite Fair Food: 

Afogado (coffee infused ice cream) 

Arizona State Fair Phoenix, AZ

My Favorite Fair Drink: 

Jalapeño Lemonade 

Yuma County Fair Yuma, AZ

My Favorite Hobbies & Crafts Division:

"I FOUND IT ON PINTEREST!"

Did you Nail It or Fail it?

Silver Dollar Fair Chico, California

My Favorite Animals: 

The Draft Horses

Washington County Fair Hillsboro, OR

The Funniest Thing I ever saw:

A steer standing up in a Cadillac that had been cut out and driven down the Midway 

Maricopa County Fair Phoenix, AZ

Challenge Accepted

A challenge was thrown down, even before I knew I was the one being challenged. 

Steven of Steven Funballoons said that we knew so many people in the fair business that I should try and do a part of several of the shows just for the fun of it, and since I am all about having fun and being in the center of attention, I accepted. 

Skip Banks challenged me to get into one of his balloons, and I got myself all decked out for the latex trip of my lifetime. What he didn't tell me was I was going directly after his show and with his crowd! But he played a song and I was not deterred, I went into the balloon as I had seen him do a hundred times before. I got inside and held the balloon closed with my hands. I was not expecting to be able to lose the crowd and have a space all to myself, the fair melted away, and it was just me and the balloon, bouncing to and fro. I could feel the pressure of the air inside with me and nothing more, in a moments time, I felt completely alone. Then I burst out of the opening and it was a rebirth. The fair was alive with the music, smells, and sounds again. It was so much fun and such a surreal experience. 

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Rob and Miss Jane found out about my challenge and I got to have the bottle walking challenge of my lifetime. Miss Jane stood up four neon green bottles for me to stand on and walk, and I tentatively got up and balanced long enough to have a picture prove that I was there, although that was by far the hardest thing I have tried with balancing before, it sure made me want to try a unicycle though, oddly enough. 

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Steven gave me a box of balloons and proceeded to teach me how to twist horses, dogs, and giraffes out of those long balloons, my challenge was to twist them without cringing or popping them. I survived the not popping them part, but the cringing part, not so much. *smiles* I loved giving them to the children at the special event we were a part of, and I would twist a thousand more if given the chance. I still don't know how to blow them up yet, that is my next challenge. Thank goodness for a balloon pump.

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Bill Coleman also challenged me with stilt walking, I tried the too tall for me stilts, and then a much shorter set of stilts, and I would walk miles as long as he was there holding onto the stilts behind me. Feet flat, stand straight, chin up, lift, lift, lift. LOL sounds great in my head, but when he let go, my ability to stay upright never extended past 5 steps. Bill was a patient teacher. I decided that being on the ground was a little easier, so glad I tried, but short I shall stay.

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James Reid, professional juggler, offered to give me a lesson with the bean bag balls (I lovingly call my Juggly balls) and he showed me how to make arches with my right hand and then left, two balls to start with, making my brain do right then left, and left then right. I added in a third ball and tried to juggle for a while, I really LOVE juggling my Juggly Balls. I am going to keep doing this challenge at home, this is right up my alley!

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The last challenge I was given was to be a clown helper with Lanky the Clown and I accepted. I helped with the family games, became the game photographer and gave away prizes and hung out with the kids trying to catch bacon in pans and spitting beans. That is a lot harder than it sounds mind you, and I am still in awe of the distance some of those people got on their prized beans. I loved the paper airplane challenge and watching the families working together. Awesome!

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What do you think my next challenge should be?