alaska state fair...

last week i got to go to the alaska state fair with my brother robert's family.  it was great fun!  it was a beautiful, sunny day and i thought for sure that it'd be crowded, but it wasn't too bad.  it was crowded but not to the point that you can't walk without pushing your way through masses of people.  and i didn't have to wait in line to get my traditional gyro!  that was the biggest bonus!  :)
here's a photo of me and remi in front of some of the vegetables.  the vegetable weigh-off wasn't until a later day so not everything was there.  right behind me was a huge pumpkin (i can't remember how much it weighed).  the winner this year was a 1,287 lbs pumpkin, but could've been a 1,723 pounder that was disqualified because there was a hole at the bottom of the pumpkin.  holy pumpkin!!!
here's the story: http://www.adn.com/2011/08/31/2042397/1723-pound-pumpkin-disqualified.html

 i recently have gained an interest in growing a bonsai tree.  a cousin's wife mentioned that she was going to grow one and just find one out in the woods to start her off.  i was a bit startled and realized i had no idea how to grow a bonsai and that you could just find a tree in the yard to use, so i checked out a book from the library on bonsai's and realized that i can do it!  at the state fair they had a whole room full of bonsai's and it really got me excited to start one.  here's one of the many that were there:

fair food is horrible food but wonderful food!  the vendors all charge an arm and a leg for simple foods but we're all so excited to have that once-a-year treat that we're gluttons for punishment.  mmmmm!!  again, my gyro was incredible, to die for, yummy-licious!!  my two nieces, winnie and hannah, decided to get a turkey leg.  i don't know if they're as popular at other fairs as they are up here, but there are vendors all over the place selling them.   here's winnie possessively enjoying her turkey leg:  (okay, okay, i did ask her to pose for the camera... :)

 and hannah showing her stuff at the hoola hoops - 3 at one time - wowee!  i didn't try it but i don't know that i could do more than one.  it took me a loooong time to learn to keep just one up.  being able to coordinate body movements has never been my strong suit.  i can do lots of things with my hands - music, art, building... but i have always failed miserably at sports.  way go hannah!