[Things I Love] The Minnesota State Fair

It's that time of year again, as everybody is fond of saying at every time of the year regarding something or other. But this time, it really is that time of year. It's time to rejoice with a million of my fellow Minnesotans and worship at the altar of cheese curds and a really big pig. There should be a song about fried cheese curds. There probably is, so let me be more specific... there should be a good song about fried cheese curds. If there were I would be singing it right now. To my cat. Tauntingly.

I dearly love the MN State Fair while also dearly hating certain parts of it. The good typically wins out over the bad. I love the feeling of camaraderie with my fellow people that the fair engenders... but do they have to be so everywhere?! Tip: find a booth that sells raw vegetables. Guaranteed to be the quietest place at the fair. Tip #2: I found one of these last year, and I'm not telling you where it is.

Things I love about the fair, an unordered list:

• The livestock. Yes, the poultry barn smells awful, but that is the smell of food on your plate! Rejoice in it. Also, cows are very sweet animals.
• Cheesecurds. Sure, they have been relieved of their squeak, but they have been blessed with meltiness and batter instead.
• The malts in the dairy building. Yum. I never waver from my vanilla. It is the best malt I have ever had, because it is made of memories. Here is the point where I should mention that dairy makes me sick. But I don't care. I fair on!
• The tractors. I actually think there might not be any tractors anymore. This makes me sad, but I still walk over to what is [I believe] still called Machinery Hill each year. I think the combines are now Priuses.
• The free pine tree seedlings at the DNR booth. Because of them, I kill a tree every year. I'm sorry. I really am. May I have another?
• The agriculture building, especially the honey section as long as there are no escape bees.
• The butter carvings. Carvings of people! Out of butter! How can that possibly be not awesome? Plus, the carvees never need to worry about having dry dinner rolls for the rest of their lives. Now that's a particular brand of nice that you just don't see too often.
• Random percussion bands. There have been grills and trash cans in the past. I adore any percussing of the musical variety. :^)
  
• Sometimes foods: mini donuts and Sweet Martha's cookies are items that I do love but must be cut from the food plan when not traveling with food sharing partners.
• Going home and taking a very long shower.