As soon as we were clicked through the entrance and escaped the  bombardment of the knives, fudge, and dill pickles in the Pavilion, we were treated to the sound of the  most glorious tenor singing his heart out.  I’m a sucker for a good tenor.  He was part of a group called The Don Giovannis.  We were seranaded while we ate our plates of Ibletto’s green and red spaghetti.

The sound of the horses enticed us to place several bets which we lost, but last year we won, so there you go.  One horse in the 8th jumped the gun and ran the wrong way all around the track.  (Yes, I bet on him).  As he crossed the finish line, the highly amused crowd burst into rousing applause and cheering!  Sometimes you just don’t care if you lose as long as you are entertained.

There were several new attractions this year,  notably Mechanical Bull Riding!  Very amusing.  Everyone looks cool while the bull is going slow, but invariably the bull wins the contest.

The DJ/bull-master was having a great time matching the music to the rider and giving riders a chance to demonstrate at least a few seconds of glory.

The flower show was brilliant!  The flowers  glowed with exuberance about their own color and design.  The exhibits are a beautiful look at past fair themes, called “A Stroll Down Memory Lane”.  Very nicely done.

One of the greatest feelings I get living in Sonoma County is the friendliness of the people.  Everywhere we turned, people said hello and spoke to us as if we were long term friends.  In the rest room (which was very clean , by the way) w0men who didn’t know each other were helping  apply sunscreen to the backs of their fellow fair travelers.  I love living here!  It really is “the chosen place”  to paraphrase our good friend Luther.

I love the Sonoma County Fair!  We’re going back aagin to see the art, animals, and  play a few more horses.  See you there!

Home from the fair and everything seems dim by contrast.  It was a spectacular day – mid 80’s- sunny and breezy.  We set out to have a fun day and we did!

I love horse racing!   Horses are such gorgeous animals – strong, sleek, and fast.  The crowd anticipates each race, bettors studying the forms, checking out the contestants in the paddock, horses on parade, making the bet… two minutes til post, one minute til post,

the horses at the gate.  They’re off!  The crowd moves forward, chanting, “# 7, come on #6, #2, etc. until both the crowd and the horses reach an astonishing crescendo!  “#2! #7!”  I can’t help myself.  I’m screaming! #2 and #7 come in  – Escape Plan in the 7th and Fancy Reader in the 8th.  The winnings pay for Ibleto’s spaghetti – both green and red – yummy!

Aside from the horses, we make friends with two little playful white goats, saw some magnificent cows, and our favorite chickens.  The pig pens were mostly empty – hopefully sold for future college funds.

The flower show with the theme of “Grape Escape” featured  Sonoma County appellations and was one of the best we can remember.

We came across a random parade led by a Dixieland band.  I do love traditional jazz – it’s such happy festive music!  Kettle Korn, a dill pickle, a taste of fudge, a Clover ice cream cone, and a run through the industrial building rounded out our day.

As I drift off to sleep, the sights, the smells, the tastes and the sounds of the day linger in my mind…  We had a great time! Can’t wait til next year.