It Ain't All Midway, Ya Know

I'm a city boy. Forever I thought the State Fair was nothing more than rides, cotton candy, half dead goldfish and shady characters. I didn't know until recently that our great state fair held competitions for the best cows and pigs and flower arrangements (seriously???) and jarred beets. I thought that kinda stuff happened only in Iowa.

But now I know better.

I entered a few photos in the Tennessee State Fair yesterday including in the category "Bird Life." I'm not interested in winning money (category winners can expect $8). I want a ribbon. I don't care if it's blue, red or yellow as long as I finagle a ribbon to hang. I realize I can go buy one but I wanna tell the great grandkiddos about the year I won a ribbon in the great state fair. Blame the desire on E.B.White. Charlotte, please come spin "SOME PIC" above my entries.

"It's dollars to doughnuts that our state fair is the best state fair in our state" The Tennessee State Fair Sept. 10-19 www.tennesseestatefair.org

Yesterday I saw mention of the fair needing entries for something or other. I noticed creative arts: photography on the list and on a whim decided to enter three photos. I entered online, paid my eight bucks -- $2 per entry plus $2 convenience charge -- and then read the rules (backwards, yes, but it was the last day for entries). Crap. I need to do this and that and the other to prep the photos with less than two days to get them to the fairgrounds.

Thank goodness for Vicki at Chromatics. I dropped off my negatives last night and they're working on them today. She was kind enough to not chastise me for the rush or my beyond-amateur note.

I don't know if the fair displays everything entered or just ribbon winners. Guess I'll find out when I go to ride the rides, pull the cotton candy, win the dead goldfish, watch shady characters and eat a few beets.

Here is one of the photos I entered: