County fair

In the Midwest, what tradition says "summer" like a county fair? I spent two days at a fair with good friends, helping out and running errands. Here are a few things I learned:

• They let crackpots (i.e. me) direct traffic. While I totally rocked the neon yellow vest with reflective tape (ha!), it was a risk to give me a two-way radio. After a few hours in the sun, I found many things funny that probably weren't funny. I'm sure I unintentionally entertained some of the drivers.
• I still cannot properly apply sunscreen (ow, ow, pain, pain). I always miss some something, like my hairline or the tops of my feet.
• Goats need privacy when they are giving birth. (WHAT? You put the goats into a barn, where hundreds of people walk through and view their every moment, then you want the goat to have privacy? Did you not realize the goat was pregnant when you dropped her off at the fair?)
• Growing up, my friend Dayna showed dairy cows at the fair. During a quiet moment, we were watching a young girl lead her animal in the direction of the milk barn and Dayna said with sincere appreciation, "That's a nice looking cow." (Maybe it was the heat or the fact that all cows look pretty much the same to me, but I dissolved into hysterical laughter. Dayna's expression read, "The city girl has lost her marbles.")
• Farm boys know how to have a good time...I watched some doing backflips...into a pile of manure.
• The county fair is probably one of the only places where you can run into someone who went to high school with Tom Wopat.
• I didn't know a shower could feel so good. After layers of dirt, dust, sweat and sunscreen, I was seriously dreaming of hot water, clean towels and a bar of soap. Talk about appreciating the little things!

I carried my camera with me most of the time to capture the details:

And there is another quintessential summer experience in my book. :)