That Time of the Year ♡

Rounding up the young hens
for the night.

Old Henny and young eating
before lights out.

Henny on her favorite roost for
the night.

I have thought and mentioned in my lifetime how certain times of the year bring back great memories and a few sad one.  July brings the starting of garden harvest, eating fresh veggies at least once a day, hay season and the grand event.....The Potter County Fair that for some reason I still call the Millport Fair.  Old habits are hard to break or maybe the need not to break.
If you grew up in Oswayo Valley I'm pretty sure "Fair Time" was the highlight of your summer.  It was the meeting place for summer fun  that lasted a whole week from late afternoon to late into the evening.  For some that had animals there it meant a week of 24/7 because they camped to keep an eye on their precious animals.

Years ago there was a group of horse lovers called the Trail Riders.  They had evening trail rides and bonfires with the last day a corn roast to celebrate.  These were western riders, no helmets, no fancy buckles and clothes.  Kinda like the old west, rough and ready to ride.  Horse shows now are much different, well groomed horses, saddles decked in silver, horses with fancy braided tails and body paint.  Riders have matching clothes, hats and boots.  The events are calm and in my opinion not so exciting.  I still like to watch them though.  I can remember, Dave Amidon, Cookie Bryant, Fay Schoonover, Donny Amidon, Dick Bryant, Nan Beckwith, Terry Beckwith, Tom Spees, Stan Evingham, Squeaker Coleman, Terry Lee Hawley, Cheryl Oles Tommy and Peggy Day, Mike DeFlorient and so many others that rode like their ass was on fire!  Those horses could turn on a dime with the rider never leaving the saddle.  I will say there were a few scary moments in those years but everyone stayed unhurt and happy.   Parents that kept this club going year after year, Midge and Louie Amidon, Bob and Marge Visseau, EV Schoonover, Bud DeFlorient,  Sterling Peters, Tom Oles just to mention a few that might bring back a few good memories.

The other horse event was watching the draft and pony pulls.  Alan Cornelious and his dad Lyle, Fay Schoonover, his dad EV, his sister Reta and his sons,  Mike Ward and again others it always seemed to be a family affair.  This could get a little dangerous.  Quite a few pullers have lost the end of a finger finger or two when the reins get wrapped around a them.  Never stopped them they were ready for the next pull.

Those years are gone and new crews have taken their place but as the song says, "who's gonna fill their shoes"?  I doubt the shoes will be filled but new ones can still provide entertainment for the ones that love the smell and whinny of a horse.  Plus the bonus, rubbing their oh so soft nose.  Yes, I love horses.

This week will be a trip to the fair (2 miles for us) for candied apples, maple cotton candy, lemonade and french fries with........cider vinegar and salt.  French fries always taste better at the fair!  We will check out all the animals, canned goods, sewing, knitting, etc. and then take in a few animal events.

Although the fair is "itty bitty" it takes 2-3 hours or more to see it all.  Why?  It's the meeting place and ya never know who's going to show up fair week.  Remember it is the Valley Summer Meeting place.  Did you know Flossie Shields started the whole thing?  You can google that to find out when and why it came to be by one very dedicated and caring OVE teacher.  She was my 4th grade teacher.

 I will take a few pictures just in case you can't make it. Hope to see you at the fair!