The State Fair

The end of August marks the start of the State Fair, Julie's birthday and one of only two annual open days for the smaller local wineries. All in all I was having far too much fun to take a step back and reflect too much on any of these events, so you will just have to look at the pictures instead - I trust that's OK with you.


Ethan, on Ben's lap, enjoying the canine gymnastics at the Purina dog show, one of a multitude of attractions offered by the State Fair including such staged events, a fun fair, an enormous variety of extremely unhealthy food, a large agricultural show, arts and crafts, live music, horticultural attractions, demos of gadgets otherwise restricted to QVC and so forth. We spent a whole day there and didn't see everything.


Ethan with his aunt Julie.


Watermelon sculpting in action.


Officials adjudicating the watermelon seed spitting competition. The state record for minors is an impressive 27 feet.


Baby boy already attracting the ladies with his usual insouciant charm.


Piglets!


The following day took us to Natalie's vineyard for their annual tasting. Baby boy enjoyed the grapes.


Father and son at an Italian restaurant in the Pearl district for Julie's birthday.


Cute but villainous, this young raccoon rifles through a bin bag left carelessly on the deck overnight. Lesson learned.