Fair to Middlin'

High Ho, I went to the fair – the Ben/Franklin County fair – tied up in this season’s theme: fun with the herd. I began with a ride on the local transit direct to the fairgrounds from the Richland bus origin. Just relax while the paid driver did the deed. A price did increase this year, now $1.75 but well worth the freedom of becoming a passenger with no parking worries and no anxiety at the steering wheel. My first obligation was to staff the County Democrats booth extolling the privileges of being on the liberal side of politics. There was much to be said about Obama, how he is saving the economy or trashing it depending on the attitude of those who stopped to praise or complain. Today was Kids Day so the main activity was to hand out stickers to those who could not even get their noses up to the counter top. Then I was relieved by others who would continue to do the same. And I was off to see the exhibits. Jellies, jams, quilts, drawing, writing, vegetables, seeds, rabbits, steers, goats, chickens, and all those healthy happy things pursued by girls and boys and homemakers and farmers for the past year. There were ribbons. Blue for first prize, red for second, white for third, purple for best of show, yellow for distinguished work, and several other colors for meritorious effort beyond the scope of the ordinary. Rather a nice cool day. Mountains of sawdust to keep the animal stalls clean, serious little folk scurrying around with shovels and water buckets to keep the animals well fed and content. Goats and pigs were in greater numbers than I remember in past years, certainly outnumbering chickens and rabbits and young steers. Not a horse to be seen, but the big equine event will be the rodeo with roping, bucking, and hogtying on Saturday opened by Miss Tri-Cities and her attendants. Instead of cheering that event from the grand stands I will be heading to Everett for a week with grand kids.
Naomi Sherer