State Fair

Did I mention that Illinois is the Land of Lincoln?


So I went to the State Fair and that was also wall-to-wall Lincoln. Here I am, in front of a larger-than-life, young Abe.

The Lincoln theme has started to get on my nerves but I decided to be adult about it and do my best to join in the community spirit of Lincoln pride. Here I am, wearing my best five dollar bill face.



If you look closely, you can see my attempt to replicate Honest Abe’s lazy eye, which the museum in Springfield spent an entire audio-visual show focusing on.

The fair had lots to offer though and I really wish I’d taken the kid there with me one day during the week, so I could’ve seen the poultry prize winners and stuff. I only really had the time to cover dairy and do it any justice.



Here I am as a dairy farmer, trying to look strong and gentle.

There’s plenty of dairy pride too in this state. Have a look at the prize-winning yellow cheese and the prize-winning white cheese.



And the cream of the crop, so to speak of chocolate milk.



That is THE BEST chocolate milk in the state of Illinois you’re looking at.

But words do not describe the butter drama that was being played out in the center of the dairy building. Behold!




Yes, friends, that is a life size cow sculpted out of butter! And if that alone was not impressive enough, the cow is a player in one of nature’s conflicts, immortalized in pure butter. Here you can see the butter cow’s little son facing off with a couple of butter skunks!



Note the detail, and how the butter artist has captured the inquisitive baby bull and the unflappable skunks just as they are about to turn tail and leave their calling card.

Nope, this is just not the kind of thing I would be able to see back home. This is home now, butter cows and corn/soy/corn/soy in every direction and just real nice people. I’m trying to get used to that. It was not my plan to be here, but that’s life, right?