Several half people

The State Fair was fun, but I've got to tell you friends, and apologize again, "I did not ride the hobby horses". That little half person on the far right is Shelby!!

my intentions were good and sincere, but getting there and looking at the stirrups on those horses and thinking, "can I really get my foot in that stirrup, and pull myself up, holding onto that metal pole"?  and "What if I fall", I kept thinking!! How embarrassing would that be!! but...

I'm not giving up yet. There's always next year, if the good Lord is willing.

Anyhow, Shelby and I enjoyed our day at the fair. We had the usual fried dough, corn on the cob dipped in butter,  a muscadine slushy, NC State ice cream, and, well, that's about it. We love the walking, watching people, and just enjoying a day together.

Dorton Arena and the waterfall...before the crowds arrived

So, Shelby and I were at the fair on Monday, then, believe it or not! Poppy and I went back to the fair on Wednesday. We met Andee and Todd there.

Wednesday at the fair was Military Day...

and the parade...

aww, that half a person there to my left is my sweet Andee. Actually, I was going to post a picture or two that included me, but honestly, my self-consciousness totally ruins every picture! Seriously! If someone could have caught me unaware there was a camera, a picture may have turned out okay, but smiling for a picture, well, I can make some of the worst facial expressions. 

Don't you love a parade? I do! Especially a military parade.

and about this next place...

The night before the fair, "The Tar Heel Traveler", a feature on our local news, did a story about this pie company from Minneapolis, called "Minneapple Pie". They serve a hot fried apple pie with a big dip of vanilla ice cream and apple syrup drizzled over the top. Hey, that half a person on the right is Poppy!!

Anyhow, we walked and walked searching for this pie place, when finally, Todd spotted it!! We ordered four...$8.00 each! It was delicious!!

Okay, then we visited the "Antique Farm Machinery" and would you look at this tractor...

Have you ever in your life seen a prettier tractor?? Hey Willie, should one of us try buying it?? Willie is our Italian blogging friend, who leaves the neatest comments!! 

and this cutie-pie...

we were in line to sample a free "House Autry" hush puppy and there stood Miss Moore County. Why Poppy and I both grew up in Moore County.

Did you know that way back in the 1960's I was a contestant in the Miss Moore County beauty pageant? That's a fact; selected by the senior class to represent West End High School. Friends, I was, without a doubt, the most bashful contestant to ever set foot on a stage. I forgot to smile. A total flop, just like my piano recital was in the 1950's when I walked out on the stage wearing my beautiful red gown, sat down at the piano, and did not hit one right key. Pitifully, the teacher motioned me to leave the stage. No wonder I have issues!

Back to the fair...

these weird little creatures were fun to watch, especially their dancing!

and now some whole folks...

Poppy and Todd.

and...

Shelby holding one of her great granddaughters. Shelby was at the fair on Wednesday too with some of her family.

Two more of Shelby's great granddaughters and their beautiful mother.

and a little short video of the cutest thing at the fair...

Gosh, you've probably all moved on by now, but I've just got to say "thank you" to two new followers. I appreciate your friendship so much! Thank you!

Love,

Henny

A "not very exciting" Fair post

I came home from the Fair in one piece!!

Deb, I laughed every time I thought about you telling me to come home from the Fair in one piece...Just picturing Shelby and me ripping and tearing and getting on all those rides at the Fair, and coming home all broken up. (Deb, at justcats-deb.blogspot.com left me a comment saying to come home in one piece)

As bad as I hate to admit it, we didn't ride the carousel! Oh, we hummed and hawed, we studied and discussed it, and watched group after group fill up the hobby horses and gallop round past us while I stood wondering if I would be able to put one foot in the stirrup, pull myself up, and throw my leg over the horse...and could I dismount without ending up on the floor under the horse? So, maybe next year. 

The carousel picture was from the Fair in 2015 and that's Shelby in front. Can't believe I didn't take any pictures of the rides this year. 

But, this picture...

would you just look at that playhouse! Well, it's not a playhouse, but the set-up of fence panels reminds me of my playhouse. Oh my gosh! Could I do that here??

We looked at the sweet animals...

and the funny ones...

and one I wanted to take home...

There were lots of new sections added this year...

Pretty, but many of the old things were gone.

one of our favorite places to sit.

This is the entrance to the Fair.

Guess that's about it. Sure sorry there is no picture of me on a hobby horse. 

Thank you for visiting.

Love,
Henny

P.S. Forgot to mention how much fun we had. A day at the State Fair with Shelby is always fun. We walked and talked and laughed. We ate fried dough and funnel cake and NC State Butter Almond ice cream. We sampled hush puppies and chips, and peanuts. We sat and watched people. I am already looking forward to the Fair next year. 

A boring bit about the Fair

Might as well go ahead and say it, "I did not ride the hobby horses at the state fair"!

Shelby and I walked and walked. We ate fair food.  We talked and laughed. We visited all our favorite places, like the village of yesteryear. Why, we must have walked past the merry-go-round a dozen times. 

The best excuse I can offer for not getting on the merry-go-round is being worn out at the end of the day. There were two empty seats here...

so we decided to sit and listen to the bluegrass music for a while.  Sometimes you don't realize how tired you are until you sit down. The music was good. We sat there probably 45 minutes. It was late afternoon, so we decided to start on that long walk back to the car, instead of around the fair grounds again.

Shelby checked her Fit Bit and friends, we had walked nine miles. Nine miles!!

Had to get a picture of this tall lovely lady passing by.

Tuesday was the fair. Wednesday we packed. Thursday morning at 5:00 we left for Missouri...but will post about that later. I've bored you enough for today.

Hope you haven't totally given up on me. I've got lots of catching up to do. Aren't the days busy! This morning the car has to be taken in to be serviced and inspected. Yesterday, it was a trip to Henderson for Poppy...always something! :)

Love,
Henny

Neither did we ride this newest, tallest Ferris wheel! Next year, I am riding the hobby horses...right after we eat the plate of fried dough with powdered sugar!

At the fair, but wait...

Friends, I could not sleep last night because of my posting yesterday about being a Virgo and feeling like everything was undone and out of order because of spending the day at the fair.

Shelby said, on the phone last night, you probably won't have time come back over, since going to the fair put you so far behind with your work. I was joking!!

Sorry if I came across as sounding like the busiest, hardest working woman in the world, always with too much to do. I'm a Virgo with OCD-like tendencies!!  That in itself keeps me busy! Why, it's a full time job keeping magazines stacked evenly and towels hung straight and colored plastic hangers sorted by color and size. I can spot a crooked picture on a wall a mile away! So that's what keeps me so far behind with my work. :)

My blogging friends, you are some of the hardest working people I know, and I appreciate you all so much!

Now about my sorry picture taking at the fair.

We did see the world's heaviest watermelon

 and the sweetest baby donkey

and the baby donkey's mama.

Wonder what struck me to take this picture out of all the busy midway eating places and rides there were to pick from?

It was a wonderful trip to the fair and the day went by waaaay too fast! Oh my gosh! The food we ate...starting with roasted corn on the cob dipped in butter. Then fried dough covered in powdered sugar, and a big crispy fried blooming onion, a muscadine grape slushy, chocolate covered North Carolina peanuts, a large cup of NC State ice cream...butter almond, and free samples of all the foods in the "Got to be NC Agriculture" building. But wait, all is good! Shelby was wearing her "Fitbit" and informed me that we had walked a total of five miles while at the fair.

Okay, after all this explaining, I need to get busy. :) I have big plans for our day at the state fair next year...riding the hobby horses and taking great pictures!

Love,
Henny

Fun at the Fair

I can't say exactly what it is about the State Fair that Shelby and I love so much, but it ranks right up there with Christmas and Santa Claus. Perhaps it brings back memories of our childhood. I remember the excitement of seeing the lights from the Ferris wheel in the distance as we got close to Raleigh and the State Fair grounds...

The State Fair is the only place I know where the crowds don't bother me. I love it!

That's Dorton Arena in the background. On the first day of the fair the gates open at 3:30. Shelby and I have never been on opening day. It was nice. Everything was fresh and clean and the foods smelled delicious. It was around 9:00 pm when we decided we had eaten about all the Fair food we could hold, so we started on the long walk to the car. We are always sad to leave and hope that we will have another year together at the State Fair...

My favorite ride, the merry-go-round! Shelby said, "we'll ride if you want to". I really did, but just couldn't picture myself climbing up on one of those hobby horses. That's Shelby in the green sweat shirt.

Another favorite of mine, the Bluegrass Bands...

And, of course, the sweet donkeys. I simply must get busy building a fence for my donkeys......

We also looked at the amazing fruits and vegetables and admired those with the winning ribbons...

Wish I had enough of these Persimmons to make a pudding... Vicki?

The waterfall in front of Dorton Arena...

One of our favorite stops was here. These guys, well two girls and three guys were amazing...

Okay, enough about the State Fair. It definitely was good to get away from the house for a few hours and especially good to laugh and talk and spend time with Shelby. Wish we had more time together.

Thank you for visiting.

Love,
Henny

Our day at the Fair

Sadly, our day at the North Carolina State Fair has come and gone for another year.  Does every state have a fair?  Do you folks get excited about going to your state fair? 

As Shelby and I left the fair grounds Wednesday and started on our long walk to the car, we both felt sad that the day was almost over.  Actually, we did not walk to the car this time.  We rode in a Cycle rickshaw.  That's right, a rickshaw!  Several were waiting just outside the exit gate, offering tired Fair goers a ride to their vehicles.  Shelby and I looked at each other and said nah, we'll walk, thank you.  Obviously, one of the rickshaw driver noticed our questioning look.   He followed us a few steps and talked us into riding!  It was FUN...and we were TIRED!  

Our reason for choosing Wednesday at the Fair, The Military Bands...

A few stops along the way.  The sweet donkeys...

 Now I want a cow too... 

 No doubt, I weigh about a pound or two more today than I did Wednesday, before the fair!  Have you tried the bucket of batter dipped, deep fat fried vegetables?  Shelby and I had planned to add this to our list of foods to eat at the Fair every year...that is until we got to the grease in the bottom of the bucket!  It took a lot of walking before we could enjoy the fried dough and NC State Ice Cream!!

There was so much more to see and enjoy than what is shown in these few pictures.  We somehow missed seeing the cloggers and a few other things.  Hopefully, we will have next year.

Better get busy.  Supposed to be a hard freeze tonight and there are lots of peppers in the garden to pick.  Thank you for looking at my blog.

Love,
Henny Penny