The county fair is iconic. It's the stuff of country music, and your great grandpa's stories. It's small town America. It's the smell of popcorn and elephant ears, the sound of children screaming and the clacking and clanging of the carnival rides, the garish neon flashing lights, the feel of sweat dripping down your neck on a hot August night, and the taste of a corn dog and pop. I could go on about how the County Fair isn't fair - how it robs you of your hard earned money quicker than the five minute ride you just took - or how it costs $100 to take your family and eat "dinner." But that would ruin the fun. The County Fair only comes once a year, and just like Christmas, it's meant to be frivolous, enjoyed and savored until next year. This year the fair was especially fun, not only observing the crowning redneck jewel of the week, but participating in it's excitement. I still have my pit crew pass bracelet and card tumbling around in the cup holder of my car - a daily reminder of the glory that was. The glory that was the Autocross. Some call it a demo derby, some call it a bump and run, but all I know is it sure was a heck of a lot of fun. The smell of old engines and dirt. The constant comparison of modifications, tires, and driving strategies. Pit crews cheering on their driver, or maybe a total stranger's car who stole their loyalty with it's crazy pop-wheel underdog take over. The first rule of order for drivers, of course, is to stay out of the beer tent. Jason, the young life student who drove that old Buick LeSabre, managed to pull out third place overall out of sixty cars.
What a kid. The powder puff started at 10:30pm, with the last few remaining die hard fans - or are those just the family members of the women who enter? I don't know, but either way, this kind of event is a first rate example of the differences that exist between men and women. I know those aren't recognized by some people anymore, but I'm here to tell you- there really are differences. But even if the powder puff is more tame, I had fun that night. Pulling fourth out of eight, running my nose in a couple of jams and completing a PIT maneuver. What a night. The county fair is iconic.
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If the speed boats are the thunder of Boyne Thunder,
the vintage car show is the lightning, Spotlessly clean until the engines sparkle with the glint of the July sun. Drooling over the original Bronco and the Cummins diesel - this seemed an appropriate use of the first few frames of my first ever roll of black and white film. Undistracted by any color clashes, B&W allows for the true ageless beauty of these machines to shine through. It was one of those late June evenings-
warm, humid, still, birds singing and showing off in the leaves of the rich green trees. The perfect evening for spending time with old friends. old friends, who have gone through really wonderful times and milestones with me. Old friends, who have gone through really devastating and hard things with me. Walking the wooded paths that loop through the outskirts of West Traverse City. We sat and took in the sound of crickets, the late light of a summer sun, the distinct smell of the red pines around us, and of course the crackling of the fire. In the morning, it was the dawn chorus interspersed with the chatter of two women drinking coffee before I headed out on my South Dakota adventure. Old friends are good for the soul. Chris Stapleton said it well: "old friends shine like diamonds. Old friends you can always call. Old friends Lord, you can't buy 'em. You know it's old friends, after all" |
Naomi JoyI was born a month early, and to the surprise of my parents, I was a girl! Archives
June 2023
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