10 Reasons I Love the Puyallup Fair

My top ten reasons for why I love the Puyallup Fair:

1. The rides. We only go on one per year (this year we went on the super-high swings!), but not only are they fun, they make me feel like a kid again.
2. Corn on the cob. Let's just say they dip the entire cob in butter. Indulgent? Yes. But you can't be good all of the time, right?
3. The cute little farm animals!
4. Fisher scones, a-MAZ-ing. The raspberry jam is where it's at.
5. The grange displays.
6. Ginormous pumpkins.
7. Hundreds of one of my favorite flowers, dahlias! It's hard to pick a favorite color.
8. This is a new one: the Earthquake Cheeseburger. It's literally as big as my head and quite delicious.
9. My annual supply of honey from the Snoqualmie Valley Honey Farm. For the past 3 (or 4?) years, I've picked up a jar to sweeten my morning tea at work. My favorite is the lavender honey. Best way to start my morning.
10. The tradition :) Year after year, we make it happen and it's the perfect way to welcome fall. Can't wait until next year !

P.S. Check out other Puyallup trips!

Itty bitty goats

I never thought of myself of a goat person, but the little pygmy goats at the Puyallup Fair stole my heart. They were so little and cute and I just wanted to pick them up and give them a good squeeze. Joe immediately thanked his lucky stars that we don't have that big of a backyard*.

Full report on the Fair Festivities to come, but I just wanted to hold you over with an itty bitty goat. Let's name him - Bjorn? Kevin? Colonel? What do you think?

*For the record, I'd only actually get a goat if I lived on a straight-up farm. Then I would be a goat cheese maker. And make this for dinner every night. Good plan, huh?

BYOCB

This year's Puyallup Fair theme was: bring your own cowboy boots! All of the ladies donned our favorite pair of cowboy boots to take on the eatfest, obligatory ride and people watching that the fair brings us year after year. I wore a pair of Justin boots that I absolutely love; a special gift from Mom and Dad from their trip to Marfa, Texas.

As usual, the fair did not disappoint, even if it "rained on our parade." Can't wait for next year!

(The fair through the years!)

Boots!

We like swings.

My second trip to the Puyallup Fair this year was a success. My favorite part of this experience was taking a little ride on the swings, which may have FREAKED OUT some of my company.

As we were lifted off the ground, I hear these cries, "I CHANGED MY MIND. Let me off. I don't know about this. My swing is going to break and I'll go FLYING! AHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Good times.

What time is it? Fair-thirty.

I've always been a big fan of fairs. So last night, Joe and I did the Puyallup. (I suspect another trip around the corner like last year with the girls. Ladies?)

Highlights:

• Deep-fried Oreos. Joe just couldn't resist. I tried one and it was pretty darn good.
• Fisher scones, smothered with raspberry jam and butter. My favorite. I hear they sell 80,000 per day! (Need the recipe?)
• Ferris wheel ride. No amount of convincing could get Joe on the zipper :)
• The stuffed cow that Joe won me in Skeeball!
• Giant pumpkins, grange displays, people watching, and more!

Ferris wheels are rad

The fair-goers

Skagit Valley grange display. It got 2nd place!

My cow!

Giant pumpkin AND deep-fried Oreos

Do the Puyallup

We did! Autumn, Karen, Lizzie, Kimber, Maddie and I. It was fun.

Between the six of us, we were able to check off a lot of fair food staples, including corn on the cob, gyro, fresh lemonade, scones, krusty pup, blooming onion and possibly more that I might be forgetting.

While the food is obviously the main attraction, we also managed to check out the farm animals, grange displays, hand washing test booth, a cool Africa exhibit, Hobby Hall and just overall good people watching.

I've decided that the reason the fair is fun is because you can be a complete dork... I mean, really, who gets that excited about voting for the People's Choice of grange displays? (Note: I voted for Skagit; showing the hometown some love)

Courtesy of Kimber's quick picture upload...

Food coma about to set in.

Mini horse and Kimbie!

Fun rides.

Autumn with a chicken... outside the Africa exhibit.

That makes sense... ?

Erika Peterson = Future Professional Beekeeper