My day at the fair...

[susandennis]

Was wonderful.  Exhausting and wonderful.  I waited for the first bus in the wrong place and as I found the right place, it was pulling out into traffic.  I waited 30 minutes for the next one.  I got to the Tacoma Dome at 15 minutes to the hour.  The next shuttle to the fair was scheduled for 37 minutes after.  I waited.  The net is that I left the house at 9:15 and got to the fair a little after noon.  But, it was fine.  The bus rides were decorated with scenery I had not seen before and it was not too hot anywhere and I was comfortable and in no hurry at all.

Turns out that today was Senior Citizen and Nursing Home day!  When I first got there I was feeling really so young - at least so much younger than everyone else there.  As I was leaving, I was getting severely envious of those who had people to push them around!!

Once I got there I walked my freakin' feet off.  I walked to the first corn dog.  It was mediocre but fueled me for a while.  I saw pigs and llama's and sheep and goats and horse and cows and chickens and turkeys and rabbits.  And beautiful beautiful quilts.  And the most gorgeous produce. 

I saw slicers and dicers and all kinds of stuff that barkers were selling.  Nothing even remotely tempting.  I may be over my latest spending spree. 

The food was really underwhelming - both the selection and the quality of that that I tried.  But the sites and sounds and smells were all wonderful.  It was a symphony of senses and I enjoyed every single minute. 

I wound down after about four hours and crawled back to the bus.  Then I discovered that there is at train that goes from Tacoma to Seattle (stopping just across the parking lot from my house)!  It would mean an extra hour wait but I thought, what the heck.   Maybe I could find something to eat.  So I found the train station and it had a food court!!!  I got some Korean beef and noodles that was VERY good and then went out to catch the train.  Only no train.  When it didn't come and there was no one there to ask, I called the Sound Transit 800 number and got a really nice lady who explained that the Tacoma to Seattle afternoon run does not start until NEXT week!  They apparently got a little ahead of themselves on signage but not so much on trainage.

No biggie.  Back to the bus and it let me out just across the street from the train station and I was in the house by 6:30. 

Work email looks like there was no major work disaster.  No voice mails.  All is well.  And... I will absolutely be taking tomorrow off from the gym.  I got tomorrow's exercise today!

I didn't take a whole lot of pictures but the grange displays were just too delicious not to record.

(The waterfall shots were from the Waterfall Park where I went to hang out and wait for the next bus first thing this morning.)  Click on the contact sheet to get to the album of all the shots.

From Do the Puyallup!

Comments

[ruralrob.livejournal.com]

I've said something like this before - and you probably don't believe me - but you really are a born photographer. You have a natutal instinct for what makes a good shot.,Susaan

[susandennis]

You have said it before and you've help make it so. I hear your words - and see your work - when I look at what the picture will be. Usually I shoot and crop later with the software but these, I was amazed to see, did not need any cropping at all. They really turned out to be what I wanted them to be - the true story of my day at the fair.

Your encouragement has helped me be more confident in trying stuff and shooting lots and enjoying it more. I'll never be Rural Susan but you are a great teacher and motivator. Thank you!!

[art-thirst.livejournal.com]

Yes, agreed, your photos are fantastic. I love all that food!

[susandennis]

Thank you so much. Those produce displays were just amazing. It was like looking at a food quilt. Each one was just a beautiful work of art.

[rev-hank.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the photos. I dont get to go this year so living vicariously will have to do.
my FAVORITE ride at the Fair is the vibrating foot massage chairs!

[seattlejo.livejournal.com]

I never did get to share my fair report, but if I had it would have been, wear comfortable shoes! I still need to upload my photos. It was fun but exhausting. The train thing drives me batty. The train goes to the city only in the morning and only away from the city in the evening. It would have made great sense if i had been able to train down from Puyallup to Edmonds, but thats not doable

[aellia.livejournal.com]

I love the food art!
I'm not a big fan of eating vegetables and fruit but I don't mind looking at them!
xx

[tbone.livejournal.com]

I think I might have told you that I grew up in Puyallup. I really miss the fair. The ones we have here are not nearly the same. I need to plan a family trip back home next September.