Barnstable County Fair!

The Barnstable County Fair has been coming around here every July forever.  The first fair was in 1844.  It was an annual tradition when we were kids and the last time I went was probably around 1987.  When I was really little, the fair was held in West Barnstable, really close to where I lived, but in 1973 it moved over to a larger space in Falmouth.  Traffic is a nightmare.  I haven't wanted to go since I've been back due to either hot, humid weather or traffic.  

But last week I expressed interest in going on Marsha's Facebook post that she was there, and Russell asked me if I wanted to go when he got home.  It was a cool night so we headed over there around 5 pm.  Traffic wasn't too bad at all and we found parking right away.  The line moved fast too.

It's definitely not the fair that I remember at all.  It seems much smaller.  And it's all about food. There were never that many food vendors 30 years ago!  You had your burgers, dogs, fried dough, cotton candy and sausage sandwiches in those days.  Now?  OMG.  The selection was so huge that I couldn't make a decision and only ended up w/ a soft pretzel.

Not many vendors either like back in the day.

A prize winning hydrangea.

Loved these birdhouses.  The other thing that was missing were the tents full of crafts, jewelry, the spin art that I was hoping to do, etc.  There was only one building that had a couple of vendors and the rest were home services people.

 So much food.

No I didn't try it.  Wonder if it comes with an angioplasty on the side?

After Russell got his first smothered sausage sammich, we walked through kiddie town and then the midway.

Ah yes.  My nemesis:  The slide.  Some time in the 70s...I'm going to guess approximately 1974...I went on this for the first time.  I was at the top and getting situated on the burlap bag when I took off down the thing.  On my back.  My head bounced off every one of the bumps and the crowd, including my own family, laughed their asses off at me.  Besides being horribly embarrassed, my head hurt so bad.  I remember being dizzy & nauseous and my parents telling me not to cry and that's all I wanted to do was cry my eyes out and go home.  That was just the first of many head injuries/concussions. Never went on it again.

So pretty!

I was always terrified of the ferris wheel, the old kind that's open with the swinging chair, but I would actually try this one because all the sides are enclosed.  I didn't though. 

Never did this one as a kid.  I wasn't much of a daredevil and got sick easily.  Don't get me started on how bad I dislike the Tilt A Whirl!

Saw a lot of rides that were a whole lotta 'Nope'.

If the swing ride stays at ground level I will ride it but not if it goes up in the air like this.

I think this is a fun house.

Again, can I get a 'nope'??

This is the bobsled ride that I used to love when I was younger.  Neither of us were about to go on any rides.

Hey mon! It's a rasta banana!

Cool trash can

Loved these bears but it's so hard to win at any of the games.  They didn't have a lot of the ones I used to like to play.  The ones where you put like fifty cents down on a colour and then a ball is tossed into a ring, rolls around and lands on one of the colours.

K-9 doggie!

Russell won me this adorable and colourful bear though!  That's what boyfriends and husbands are supposed to do (and he was duly informed of this prior to our arrival too)!  ;-) 

We were home by 7 or so.  We probably won't go again next year.  It's really not the fair that I remembered, but it was an enjoyable evening and I'm glad we went.  

Lazy Hazy Dayz

The weather this summer has been the best in the four summers I've now been here.  There are humid stretches but they are punctuated by dry days too.  Even if it's warm out, that's fine, as long as it's not wicked humid on top of it.  

We had a gorgeous, orange Supermoon on the 12th.  

Got up on the 13th to a very warm day and although I was exhausted, I had to take a walk in the morning hours before the Harry Potter movie marathon continued on TV.  I didn't want to miss the movies but also didn't want to waste nice weather by staying indoors all day.  

I love these two shop signs.

Instead of my usual trek around Main Street, I went down Academy Drive, to the Taylor's Point Marina  & Mass Maritime area.  I could watch the water reflections dance off the boat hulls for hours.  

Or as they would say it here in Massachusetts, "Hahbahmastah".  ;-)

Isn't this the cutest little railroad bridge?  It's in someone's yard.

 

Peace maaaaan.

I would love to have a lighthouse in my yard!

Love this poster....makes it look really retro.  The Barnstable County Fair has been around for 169 years! I used to go every year as a kid....and Russell worked the fair with Coke up till he left the company.  But I really have no interest in going now.  Too many people, too much traffic and way too hot.  I don't ride the rides anymore and I know I'll end up spending money on more bric-a-brac I don't need!