Today we went to the fair

The Santa Cruz County Fair ranks among one of my favorite fall things to do. It is locally run and organized and this year in the Crochetti Building the local knitting guild had a demonstration table. Some kids joined us to learn to knit, some adults took flyers and hope to come to our meetings, and some adults told us their knitting stories. The stories were about when they learned to knit, what they are knitting now, who taught them to knit, or how they hoped to knit more in the future.

There were weavers there, spinners, and displays of garments, quilts, decorative items to be wondered at and enjoyed. The fair is just fun, simple as that. Have you ever seen vegetable sculpture? See, where else do you get to see veggie whales, or eggplant motor boats...the fair! There were the tackle box collections, the maj jongg collections, lego sculptures and yes a porcupine pumpkin.

I haven't even gotten to the flowers. The flowers were beautiful, dahlias that were stunning, roses that were fragrant, orchids so beautiful and elegant. Speaking of elegant the Fair Queen was in gown and tiara, smiling and letting little girls and boys take their picture with her, "the Princess". There is nothing that brings joy to my heart than the site of a teenager being nice to a small child and the small child looking like the teenager had bestowed much more than a smile and hug. To those who say there is no decency and kindness left, I say there is, there really, really is.

Finally, I had one of those moments, you know the moments of pure grace. I was sitting in the horse arena stands, having a smackerel of fair food (don't ask) it was sunny and 70. I was watching the young girls working with their horses, no judges watching, and a feeling of total contentment filled me, all was good in my world at that moment. A moment of grace.