Fall Fairs

The mark of a small (and not so small) Ontario town is the annual Fall Fair. As a family we made the trek every year with our small children in tow. They liked the carnival rides the best, and always ended up begging for cotton candy and having to make do with a, not as sweet, colourful snow cone. We were always amazed at the exotic birds in the fowl barn and oohed and awed over the sweet bunnies that came in all shapes and sizes. Then there were the cloven hoofed barnyard animals led by young boys and girls dressed in white like they worked behind the counter of an old fashioned soda shoppe. I especially liked the goats, with their odd rectangular pupils in those big eyes that locked on yours. The "no eared" variety is just creepy to me though...what's that all about? Don't ears serve a purpose in nature? Unfortunately we missed this year's Orillia Fall Fair but the Coldwater Fair is this weekend and we will surely make the journey there. My younger daughter is interested in photography and wants to enter a photo in one of the contests. Good for her!

A couple of weekends ago I went to the fall fair in Caledon to get a few pictures of our friend, Jeannie, who had her lovely black Paso Fino mare, Captiva, there doing a breed demonstration. I will get Captiva on my Horse of the Week page soon.

At this fair I was facinated by another demonstration, a lady and her border collies herding sheep. These dogs are amazing! They come in many colours and can have longer fur or be flat coated. I had to laugh when the owner described their personality as "obsessive-compulsive"! These dogs really need a job to do.

To other photographers, don't you just love those moments when you turn, and with camera at the ready you just happen to spot something whimsical or bizzare or cute or exciting and you are able to capture it for posterity?? Here is an image from one of those moments. I believe she is a "Town Cryer". Wish I had more info on her. What a great looking gal!