Fair Time

The fair auction was this weekend. This is always one of my favorite days because I love going to look at the farm animals. I also love watching Tommy and the boys discussing their strategies about bidding. This year it was him and Matt. But it has been different combinations of the boys over the years and someday I can see it being Terry and Andrew writing down the prices for him and letting him know who is coming up next. We sit on the same bench year after year and many of the same faces are there each year. It reminds me of a family reunion. People are joking and teasing each other. You get to see how kids have grown over the year. We have watched some of them grow up. One of the hogs that Tommy bought this year was raised by a kid named Cody. I remember Cody being about 9 years old and showing his first animal in the ring. This year when he came up afterwards to thank Tommy he had facial hair and this deep voice.

This was Andrew's first livestock auction and I took him for a spin through the livestock barn. His favorite animals were the cows and he mooed at each one of them (thoroughly charming the FFA girls who thought he was so cute). My favorite was the Angora Sheep. There was also a few llamas that were interesting to look at. I didn't get that close to them, though, because I have always heard that they will spit at you (of course, maybe I'm thinking of camels?). There was one "interesting" experience. We were walking by the cows and a man was there taking care of a cow and her calf. I was showing Andrew the baby and the guy asked me if I'd like to take a picture with the calf. Okay, truth is, I may have lived in the country for 27 years but I am and will always be a city girl. But I tip-toed into the stall (watching all the time where I was stepping) for the photo op. I managed to get in and out without stepping in anything. Looking at this picture it's hard to see who is the most uncomfortable... me ... Andrew ... or the calf!