Minnesota State Fair

The symbol of the Minnesota State Fair
We moved to Minnesota in 1963 and that fall we attended the Minnesota State Fair for the first time.  Since then, we made visited perhaps 40 times. We have developed a pattern that takes us to the familiar but also to see how it has changed. Just ask Anna, she knows the routine.

Rolls provided by the bus company
For the third year in a row we have taken a bus from Fergus Falls to and from the fair.  This saves a lot of wear and tear on us and saves us from having to take a motel.

Some of the crowd
Lots of folks arrive by bus or car but the lowest daily attendance so far this year is about 101,000. Ten days of this and more than a million persons will pass through the gates.

Walking the path
The bus always comes on the first Monday, Senior Day, with entry discounts. This day has stock dog trials at the Coliseum.  A handler, a dog and three sheep provide the drama as the dog works the reluctant sheep through obstacles and finally into a little pen.

At the other end of the fairground is the Pet Center where the Australian Shepherd was featured.  We found a shady spot to watch enthusiasts work with their dogs.

I have never seen dogs being trained to balance.

This is high political time with the elections coming up in November.  Often during the weekends persons seeking office will walk through the crowd shaking hands.  We did not see any.  Perhaps that is due to an overabundance of seniors at the fair.

Democrats

Republicans

Freedom of speech

An interview with a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives.

Food is important with many varieties offered.  Most are deep-fried, on-a-stick or just plain high-calorie.  We have liked the offerings at the Dairy Building for most of the years we have gone to the fair.

The Dairy Building offering malts, cones, sundaes, cheese and yogurt.

Al and Sue with favorites.  That raspberry is good!

A finalist of the Princess Kay of the Milky Way has her likeness done in butter.

Nothing calorific here.

If you feel guilty, you may get a diabetes check here.

No visit to the fair is complete without a visit here.

What is it?

What a good job!  Such small stitches!

A now permanent fixture at the fair.  He opened his bakery to amateurs on Saturdays

Memories of Machinery Hill

The 2:00 PM parade.

Crossroads Chapel. Entertainment is offered during the day and services on Sunday.  

An outreach of the Twin Cities evangelical community,

Just can't take it anymore.

Five Minute Bread

Sue's Kitchen
This is Sue's debut as a cooking show hostess.  She has developed this bread method over time using information from http://www.breadtopia.com and the book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes Day by the the authors Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois.   She added a few wrinkles of her own and now gives instruction on how she does it.  

The items needed and preparing the dough.

The baking process.

We hope that you will enjoy your bread! 

Duluth, MN and the Honors Band

Ore ship and marina

We set off for Duluth, Minnesota, today to attend the Honors Band that Grandson Brandon was participating in.  We left Fergus Falls and drove five hours on MN 210 to get here.  We had time to walk around Canal Park.  On the left is the Great Lakes Ship, William A Irwin once owned by United States Steel Corporation and now on permanent exhibit.

Sue at the entrance to Duluth harbor.

Al on an anchor showing the roll that needs some work.

Sue with a boat that never makes one seasick.

The Duluth harbor lift bridge.

The above photos show the relation of Duluth to Lake Superior and ultimately to the Atlantic ocean through the St Laurence canal.  In the bilge water of ocean-going ships many unwanted invasive species have made home in Midwestern waters.  There is a campaign going on in Minnesota to limit the spread of invasive species by cleaning boats and trailers when removed from one of the 10,000 lakes.

Grandma's restaurant

Grandma's Saloon and Grill has weathered the depressed times that hit the Duluth waterfront in the latter part of the twentieth century.  A determined effort has been made to improve this area as a tourist area and now there are many restaurants and shops in the Canal Park area.

Another example of the new Duluth waterfront.

The old manufacturing and commercial buildings are memories shown by this sign painted on the building years ago.

Sue walking toward a "reused" building.

Some times it is fun when an unexpected opportunity comes along.  Walking along the street I noted this sign in the second story of this building.  I had to see what was going on so we went in with a reluctant Sue in tow.

A second floor doll house store.

We found Raggedy Ann and Andy perched on top of a doll house.  This large store caters to girls from age 5 to 65, according to the owner.  She let us look about and we were impressed with the variety of furnishings available for these houses.  She sell kits priced at $250 and up for a nice doll house.

Raggedy Andy and Annw

A nicely furnished doll house.

Our main purpose for being in Duluth was to show support for our Grandson Brandon who was participating in a Concert Band sponsored by the Minnesota Music Educators Association.  He did a live audition in competition with over 1800 high school students from schools large and small.  Judges selected 561 students to participate in the Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Jazz Ensemble, Orchestra as well as Men's, Women's and Mixed Choirs.  The Choirs and Orchestra performed in other sites.

The venue - Duluth East High School

Brandon is in the last row on the right and you must just take my word that he is there.

The 2012-2013 MMEA All-State Concert Band, Stephen Peterson, conductor.

These boys are growing fast.  I grew 12 inches during my four years of high school and these guys are doing the same thing.  Brandon works in a privately owned ice cream shop and Nathan is starting his Driver's Education program.  They do their parallel parking practice near our home and we have said that perhaps we would set up lawn chairs across the street to watch.  NO PRESSURE.

 From left, Al, Brandon, Nathan and Steve.  The Grandsons are catching up.