Colorado State Fair

We spent a nice morning at the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo, Colorado this weekend. Our first priority was the horses. Once we got off the main street filled with funnel cake, gyro, truck sticker and stuffed animal vendors we were in the land of horses. Stables surrounding show arenas in the center and horses and their riders coming and going on the road. I was a little intimidated that we weren't supposed to be there, and then a little guy watering his horse offered for us to pet it. We saw 4H kids from all over Colorado compete in showing their horses and western riding. Tristan and Ana really enjoyed seeing the horses up close, one girl led her horse right up to the bleachers where we were sitting and began chatting with her family. I was amazed to see children of all ages riding so well and also I was amazed at how calm all of the horses were. Then we went to see the sand sculpture. We watched the sculptors work in total awe. We went to look at the quilts and I watched the judging of the special themed quilt category, the special theme was horses. I sat by the lady who ended up winning. She designed this quilt where the horses looked as if they would run right off the fabric leaving nothing but the orange/red flames of fabric behind. She told me all about the world of quilting competition. I saw a few quilts made in the pattern that I just finished in April. That was cool. The children enjoyed looking at the toys and model trains on display and the kids and Jason saw a lot of farm animals while I watched the quilt judging. Then we all caught up for a little splash time in the fountian. We looked at the pigs, I just kept thinking of Charlotte's Web when Wilbur wins at the state fair. There were some pretty amazing pigs. Cute spotted ones and some HUGE pigs. Anastasia was pretty freaked out by a big, grunting, pink bellied, black pig trying to escape his pin. But later that evening she was crawling around grunting like a pig. We looked at the sheep and calves for auction. I really wanted to buy the little brown calve, "buckwheat" but it was bid higher than the black one, and I couldn't keep it in the yard of our rental property. The whole experience made me want to live on a farm, well it made me wish things were more rural in general. I guess it made me nostalgic about small-town America and all that farmers, agriculture and simple arts and crafts represent for our country. The morning was filled with wholesome entertainment, hands on learning and, except for the Carnival trying to take center stage, I was transported to a world where raising pigs was profitable and making quilts was a cool thing to do. A far cry from my every day reality:) It was cool. Enjoy the pictures.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Sweet, love your work! Up for the quilting competition next year?
August 29, 2012 at 8:16 PM
Amanda said…
I'm thinking about it!:)
August 31, 2012 at 2:31 PM
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