The No Rush-iest thing I saw today!

I love checking out garage sales, especially on a whim as I drive around town. I am a sucker for signage like: "MOVING SALE!" or "Multi-Family Sale!" and the best is "Estate Sale!". I will follow those signs around and see what kind of treasures they lead me towards.

I saw a sign in my neighborhood the other day that was not nearly as enticing:


Isn't a perpetual sale actually a STORE?

On another note, the Great Minnesota Get Together starts today! Yes, the Minnesota State Fair is now open for business. I love the fair and I hope to find lots of fodder for drawing when I go on Sunday.

If you love the fair too, or if you need to be educated about the MN State Fair, I recommend the blog My Pronto Pup. The mere fact that someone has a year round blog dedicated to the Fair should be a big clue as to how much people here love the Fair. The author is one of MANY people who go every day of the fair (August 21-Labor Day).

Also, I saw this crazy article in the Strib today about a family from NW MN who walked 400 miles to the fair with an ox cart. What?!?!? I am not sure if the pronto pups and cheese curds are THAT good!

The Birthingest thing I saw at the Fair

Even though the fair grounds are now quiet and cool, I still have a few things jotted down to share with you from my visit to the Minnesota State Fair.

One crowded attraction at the fair is the Miracle of Birth barn. Here you can see sheep, pigs and cows giving birth and then you can gawk at the cute little babies!

The place gets so packed with city slickers dying to witness the animals they eat that there are bleachers and many huge flat screen TVs hanging from the ceiling.

The animals are bred to give birth during the fair and some animals are induced. It is actually a very clean, well run and educational place. The animals are treated very well.

This year I was lucky enough to witness some poor cow give birth in front of hundreds of eager fair goers.

The crowd cheered and clapped as the deeply mooing cow brought a new male calf into the world. But the calf did not hop right into life; instead it lay lifeless in the hay.

Parents tried to avert the attention of their small children while the vet in charge stepped up and gave that gooey newborn CPR!!!!



Holy crap!

The little calf sprang into action with that breath of life.

Everyone cheered! What a hero! What a cute calf! Oh that poor cow!

I was in awe of what I witnessed and again reassured that I was not made to work in medicine.

The Mama cow began to lick her new son clean while my husband and I went to the All-you-can-drink Milk Booth.

The Crabbiest thing I saw at the fair.

The fair is a place of joy and pride in our great state. People show off their best talents and check out what innovations are in store for us in our bright Minnesota future.

Plus, this year they are allowing real beer at the fair (rather than 3.2 beer).

I once had a friend who said "People who wear sweatpants in public have given up on life." A very un-state fair fashion statement.

Does this hold true if you are also sporting a bowler hat and a pork chop on a stick?


The extreme frown, sweats and flip flops send a really mixed message here.

I would not hold the mustard stain against him, most people at the fair are stylin' with a sauce stain somewhere.

The second coming-est thing I saw at the State Fair.

Roaming around the fair I saw a man dressed comfortably, enjoying standard state fair activities: eating and collecting free stuff from non-profits & companies in bags.

He looked a bit Iike an older Jesus.....

and he was wearing sheep skin house slippers.

I wonder if he stopped by the Carpenter's Union booth to see his buds!

The Bathing Beautiest thing I saw at the Minnesota State Fair!

***Special Minnesota State Fair Edition***

The state fair has THE best people watching around. Everyone flocks to Saint Paul to be themselves and eat deep fried food on a stick.

I could just sit on a bench all day and watch the humanity go by! Some people go every day to take it all in!.

I have gone to the fair two evenings this year and I took notes on things to draw for you people. Here is the first installment:

At the fair, I saw dairy princess Princess Kay of the Milky Way and her head carved in butter.

I also saw Ms. Brooklyn Park 2006 walking about with a Pronto Pup in her best evening wear making Brooklyn Park proud! (Jesse Ventura was once the Mayor of Brooklyn Park, so goodness knows they need the good press!)



She was without any escort or entourage, so I was tempted to ask for an autograph. I chose to let her be; being a local celebrity can be very taxing, I'm sure.

I hope that Ms. Brooklyn Park is an age 55+ competition, otherwise the stress of the role is really showing on this beauty queen!