Like I mentioned in my previous blog entry, Rick took Friday off and we went to the Dutchess County Fair in Rhinebeck, NY.  We had planned this day weeks ahead. A very wise choice as it turned out, because they cancelled the fair for Saturday and Sunday—their biggest days— due to Hurricane Irene. So sad.

The fairgrounds are also home to the Sheep & Wool Festival that we’ve gone to for the past two years that takes place in October. And, for those of you that don’t know, I spent my childhood years growing up in Dutchess County, New York. My sister tells me that we used to go to the fair but I honestly don’t remember! This is the first time Rick and I have ever gone.

The fair’s grounds and buildings don’t change but instead of barns filled with sheep, wool and everything to do with wool, they are full of cows,

 

 

pigs,

 

 

 

chickens,

 

 

 

Note the name of this one: Fluffy Pants

photo by Rick

 

photo by Rick

 

photo by Rick

rabbits,

Poor bunny! (Read the sign above him.)

photo by Rick

and of course 4-H projects.

There are many more food vendors, in fact it’s hard to decide what and where to eat and drink.

 

 

 

 

photo by Rick

But the heart of any fair is the midway with its games, silly side show attractions and rides.

 

You could see the world’s smallest horse or the largest: you choose!

 

Or how about these oddities? Rick did go into this one and paid $3.00. I wouldn’t go in. He said some of the things were real (poor animals) and some were just stuffed versions. He said it was pretty sad.

Rick took this photo too which I absolutely love!

Even the cloud seems to be asking why? as it forms a question mark over this ride! Does this look like *fun* to you?

Or how about this one?

Here it is in action.

 

This little boy was in an attraction called The Hampster Cage—plastic tubes that you could roll around while inside them. I loved the surrealism of the way the photos came out.

 

We took the back roads home and found a way to get there with Mia without going on the interstate even though at one point it takes a lot of zigging and zagging in the towns. We fell in love with the historic Rondout and Stockade districts in Kingston (which we stumbled on by taking a slight detour that we didn’t mean to) with its old stone houses and also the beautiful countryside and charm of the town of New Paltz. Sadly, the area around New Paltz had a lot of flooding with Irene. We’ll be headed back before too long because I want to take a walking tour in Kingston and explore New Paltz.

All in all, a delightful day!