Studio566: I WENT TO THE ANIMAL FAIR

And managed 2 illustrations. More forthcoming...

COUNTY FAIRS
I ♥ the fair!!

COUNTY FAIRS PART II
County Fairs, for me, are like a time machine: they take me immediately back to being 8 years old feeding cows and horses behind my house. I hatched my own chicken and raised it, we had ducks, a dog, cats, pigeons, anything we could catch and etc. The neighbors had their menageries as well and we all enjoyed both beef and dairy farms at our mischievous disposal. I smelled like manure all the time and for the life of me, I cannot imagine a better childhood.

Yours Truly and Brother Gus and his Kick Ass Cabin where he hid his Playboys.
We were actually getting ready to go to the State Fair.

Formative years spent in the red and white house on the left.
Mr. Choate shot black birds from the back porch of the house on the right.

BRIMTUCKY
I spent my formative years in Brimfield, Ohio. The town has expanded into near city status since the advent of the WalMarts©. Pretty soon, they will be like Toledo and won’t be able to have nice things either.

I seriously Googled "Brimfield, Ohio Walmart" and up popped a taser.

Brimfield Township is located just south of I-76, east of Akron and south of Kent. Brimfield is the fastest growing community in Portage County. Once a sleepy and intimate farming community, it is now teeming with life and activity. A new elementary school opened fall of 2007 and several large shopping centers are currently being built. www.brimfieldohio.com

The several large shopping centers would be the WalMarts©.

Take this when you visit!

THE LUCAS COUNTY FAIR
These here Toledo has THE LUCAS COUNTY FAIR. It isn't as filled with spandex as Walmarts© but is just as fun. Being around all creatures great and small raised specifically for slaughter reminds me of the importance of being humane. I love irony, don’t you?

Thy name is IRONY

And now… what you have all been waiting for even though you didn’t know it…

THE ANIMALS AT THE FAIR - or - A PHOTOGRAPHIC ADVENTURE THROUGH MILES OF MANURE
Viewer Warning: There are an inordinate amount of rabbits shown and no cows or goats... or sheep.


~ Once and Future Bacon~

THIS LITTLE PIGGIE WENT TO MARKET... literally.

The barn was sweltering and all of the domestic swine were splayed out in front of industrial fans and oinking. I scratched behind a lot of ears and heard all of the gossip of the fair.

Pigs are highly intelligent and extremely social, so... naturally we kill and eat them.

Donald and Daisy

CHEESE AND QUACKERS (Above)
My ducks gave me Impetigo. More specifically, I contracted Impetigo from swimming with my ducks. I still have a slight discoloration on my mouth to prove it. Yes, I got it on my mouth. I kissed the ducks. Don't judge. I did not kiss the ones shown above. They did not seem to be interested in me in that way. Maybe they heard about the Impetigo. (The swine are gossipy, after all...)

HENNY PENNY! (Below)
My chicken's name was "Henny Penny." I realize the originality of choosing such a name is damned near unheard of coming from a child of 5 (it is a literary reference). Our dog would wag her tail and Henny would jump over the tail as it went back and forth. The goofy bird followed me everywhere. If not me, then the dog. Even though she had no lips, I kissed that chicken quite often.

I am judging you.

You are being actively judged.

I did not kiss any chickens this day. The chickens... THEY MOCK ME. I was worried about getting my eyes pecked out. I sensed blood lust.

JIVE TURKEY

I am judging you.

He bore holes into my very soul with his eyes...

A HORSE IS A HORSE OF COURSE OF COURSE

This fellow gave great horsey hugs. I used to ride. I learned Western but can ride English. I even rode bare back. I have also fallen off of a horse who happened to have the same name as my X husband. But I digress...

This guy cracked me up: I kept holding up my camera and teasing, "SMILE!" He would rub his cheek on the slats of the stall. He did this every time I held the camera up. I caught an actual smile on a horse.

I am judging you.

NAKED CHICKS

I am judging you.

BABY QUACKERS!

OH MY GAWD SO CUTE!

BABY QUACKERS! - THE FILM
Nominated for 7 Academy Awards
Directed By: Francis Ford Copella
Written By: Francis Ford Copella

THE BUNZ!
First, I would like to explain to all you city folk that fairs feature something known as "Market Animals" that are auctioned in "Slaughter Auctions." It is exactly what it sounds like. From the beginning, the 4H Whippersnappers know the purpose of raising their animal. As an Ohio country girl, these pragmatic realities are part of life. Even for me. Even for the bunnies.

Here are some of the market bunnies...

o, man.

*sniff sniff*

BREEDING BUNNIES! (Not for Market - Only for Show)

Affirmative Action at work within Miles of Bunnies

I am judging you.

Two Faces, One Bun

I am judging you.

FLEMISH GIANT
The Flemish Giant is one of the biggest rabbits EVER. Below is a Junior Buck (boy under 6 months of age). The guy is over twice the size of my full sized Rex, Sammy. These rabbits were originally bred in the area of Brussels around the 16th century for fur and meat. Please note that wire floored cages are NOT suited for rabbits, especially Flemish Giants (due to their size). The information is riveting, I know. This rabbit had some BIG FEET. I have included a scaled to size human to show the utter magnificence:

Why is he waving? GET OUT OF THERE!

I am judging you.

REX - JUNIOR DOE (Female under 6 months)

I am judging you.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT:
Outdoor bunnies get hot. The show barn was a bajillion degrees. Rabbits cannot sweat and WILL keel over from heat stroke. To help the bunnies stay cool, their owners froze bottles of water and placed them in the cages.
Frozen water bottles help cool my buns on hot days too.

OOOO BABY!
And now a quick visit with the babies!

OH MY GOD I'M IN A CAGE!


♥ soon to be drawing ♥

I literally bonded with this little one. He so enjoyed grooming me. He is in the corner where I was sitting on the floor. They were for sale for $10 or best offer. Word to the wise: DON'T DO IT.

Unless you are willing to make an 8 to 10 year commitment, DO NOT BUY A LIVE BUNNY. This one would require a vet exam and eventual spay/neutering. They need food, water, cleaning and lots of attention as they are social creatures. I got a little verklempt when I left this one.