fair

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Also, this past weekend, I got the opportunity to check out the Fair Trade Gift Festival at the Harwood Art Center here in ABQ. It was awesome. Although relatively small in size, it was wide in the variety of items for sale.
The show was sponsored by Help=Hope and Children of The Americas. These organizations sponsor many events and programs to benefit shelters and kids worldwide.

There were unique and handmade items including: musical instruments, jewelery, baskets, ornaments, candles, and many other things from around 30 countries.

Best of all... I was able to purchase a couple fabulous holiday presents for friends and family... while helping out through these organizations to people all over the world.



*photos by Elaine A. Russell

part 3: NM State Fair








photos by Elaine A. Russell


So -- when we last left off... Jim and Elaine were foraging the NM State Fair for sweets and treats :)
And now, ladies and gentlemen... I bring you to the highlight of the fair for most people... the rides and games.
The hubby and I are not ones to usually ride the rides... or play the games... but we do look at everything. And I have had a long fascination with the carousel, so we actually spent alot of time at the 2 different carousels at the State Fair. Plus.. there were lots of shows: Winn's Thrill Show, The Marcan Tiger Preserve, Valentine's Performing Pigs, The Dock Dogs, and The Latest in Game Technology shows. And music ! (too many performers to list).

We strolled around the midway for a couple of hours... taking way too many pictures of rides in action. I was amazed to see some features/ spectacles ... of shows I remember when I was a kid. Such as: the World's smallest Horse, the tiniest woman... etc. The posters for these events seemed straight out of Guinness Book.
Then there were the usual roller coaster type rides, twisting type rides, the epic fall type rides.... you name it. And the Ferris wheel.... the old-time favorite. I love taking photos of Ferris wheels.. so we spent some time there too.

I talked at length to a couple of the "carnies".... both of whom were looking forward to the end of the fair season to go home to their families before the next fair tour in another town. When I was little.. I remember that one of my cousins actually ran away and joined the circus. He spent a couple years cleaning and taking care of the elephants... then we lost track of him. At any rate... I always had a soft spot for the workers at such carnivals.

Anyway.. so there you have it. A magical time at the NM State Fair. Hope you all had a good time... I know I did :)

part 2: The NM State Fair







photos by Elaine A. Russell

After seeing all the art exhibits, our attention turns to the critters at the McDonald's Barn....after all, who can resist baby animals ?? Besides, it's my duty to vote for the baby bunnies as being the cutest. ((bunny lovers unite))

This year, it was actually a tough call for me, because they had brought in a mommy pig and her newborn babies. Gotta say... the pigs were adoreable. They also had chicks, baby ducks, pheasants, roosters, young calves, young kid goats, miniature horses, puppies and kittens.

From there... it was all about the food. Ya gotta love going to State Fair's for the food. Corndogs, frito pies, Indian tacos, french fries, turkey legs.... and our yearly quest... Corn on the cob. I'm talking fresh picked corn on the cob... smathered in butter and sprinkled with lemon pepper seasoning.

Sated and satisfied.... we wandered about looking at the booths of junk fair food. Deep fried oreos, deep fried twinkies..... eesh. Sounds like a heart attack on a stick... and yet, I was tempted to try one. Cotton candy, pretzles, popcorn... Tom Tom mini donuts ! We got a bag and sat on the benches to enjoy their sugary goodness.

And of course, the night doesn't end until you enjoy that last bit of funnel cake.....

More tomorrow on the rides and games !

the NM State Fair





photos by Elaine A. Russell


Fairs and carnivals have always held an interesting allure for me. Aside from a deathly distaste/ distrust of clowns.... it is heaven on a stick. And even the clowns are cool in a macabre point of view.
So it was with great excitement that the hubby and I went on our yearly excursion to the NM State Fair. http://www.exponm.com/fair/

We usually have a few goals in mind:
  • see the art exhibits
  • see the baby animals (*must vote for the bunnies)
  • get fair food (especially corn on the cob and funnel cake)
  • take photos
  • come home happy and satisfied
And, not unlike in years past... we stayed from mid-afternoon til way after dark.


This year, I was taking photos with a camera that I had only had for about an hour... so I was a bit nervous as to how the photos would actually turn out. But we plunged on in anyway.

First stop was the art exhibits. Wow. I am constantly amazed at the talent here in NM. In the Fine Arts building, we saw gorgeous paintings, cool stained glass and fused glass pieces, mixed media art, and some awesomely cool metal mesh sculptures of the human form. What was so very cool about them, was not just that they were extremely well done... but because of the way they cast these fantastic shadows on the walls. Wow. Unfortunately, no pics allowed in that building.

From there we went to the crafts building. We saw everything from woodcarving, stained glass, dolls, quilts, homemade jams, needlework, coins, altered books and jewelry. And one of our favorite exhibits.. the LEGOS. Demonstrations were being held on woodcarving and book-making. I was able to make a little hand bound book in about 5 minutes (with expert help from LIBROS guild members).(( http://dir.groups.yahoo.com/group/librosnmbag/?v=1&t=directory&ch=web&pub=groups&sec=dir&slk=16 and one member's site: http://atgbooks.com/index.html ))

The photography was displayed this year in the African Arts building. Another WOW. Truly, some excellent stuff out there... and I recognised some names from local FlickR groups.

More on the fair tomorrow !!!

roadtrip !



photos by Elaine A. Russell... taken at the Lancaster Farmer's Market

webshot of Shamoken dam

First, I apologize for not posting yesterday. I got up early (6am) and had breakfast with the family. After visiting for awhile, my niece and my brother in law's new wife and I went to the Lancaster Farmer's Market. This is a huge thing that happens every Tuesday. On one side of the grounds, it is all antiques, flea market type stuff and more. You wouldn't believe all the cool stuff I saw ( and even bought a couple things !). On the other side of the grounds are all kinds of fresh vegetables, fruit, crafts and even a music group or two. In spite of it being unbearably hot and humid.. it was awesome.
Then I was on the road again. Having gotten some fresh fruit and food, I was ready to travel.. but was having a bad allergy problem still. Between my eye swelling shut, sneezing my fool head off.. and sweltering in the heat... the drive became a nightmare. Couple with tons of rain, mist, fog and even hail.... the road became hazardous as well.
The road was unfamiliar to me too. I was mostly on I-76.. which is a toll interstate throughout the bottom of PA. It was a great road.. but expensive ($13 toll fees). I was a bit confused as well... traveling in parts of PA, and in parts of Virginia all in the same day. As it turns out, I was on the right roads... it just felt awkward at times.
A bonus... was that I got to go thru a series of tunnels. They were huge.. and went thru various peaks of the Appalachian Mountains. Incredible. I also went all around Shamoken Dam (huge)... lots of pretty Amish countryside.. and lots of fertile farm land.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamokin_Dam,_Pennsylvania
I stopped early for the night at a Super 8 in Cambridge Ohio. The management (Ms. Fry) and crew were very nice, the room was really nice, and in spite of not having internet (it was down due to the storms)... was great. I got dinner from a nearby KFC, and enjoyed a relaxing night in the room.

you can't get there from here

photo by Elaine A. Russell

Funny-- I can travel cross country and not get lost.. but just try to get out of PA.
I left around noon today from Potter County, heading towards Landisville Pa where my niece lives. It is real close to Harrisburg, and I have never been there. I got my directions off of Mapquest.com, and for once.. they did me wrong. You'd think that being a native of Pa, this would not be a problem. However, this was a problem because most of the places in PA.. I have not been to.
When I as a kid, my parents rarely traveled. We would go shopping once a year around Christmastime in Olean.. just over the PA border into NY... but that was about it.
So -- I was pretty much clueless today when traveling all over the back country roads. I managed to turn what should have been a 4hr trip... to a 6hr trip.
On the plus side.. I saw lots of pretty countryside, some Amish farms, some pretty quilts hanging on the line, cows, hills, and scenic views.
I finally made it to my niece's house in time to take a shower before supper. .. which was shrimp scampi and broccoli. It was delicious.
Now I am settled in for the night, and watching vintage "Wild Wild West" shows on dvd with the family.
More to come...