August 26

Awake to dense fog, that looks more like a misty rain. Weather reporters all say today is supposed to be sunny with high of 72, but we keep shaking our heads wondering what planet they are on. We head over to Brenna’s mid-morning to pick up Brenna and baby Dean for today is Alaska State Fair Kid’s day out in Palmer.  We check the weather again and they keep saying we will see sun.  We start our 1 hour journey north out to Palmer off the Parks Highway.  Palmer was an agricultural experiment during the Territory days.  Giving land away to Wisconsin and Minnesotans particularly for farm start ups.  The people from these areas had experience in northern farming.  Today the area remains agricultural and conserved with the small town of Palmer. There is some produce and meat products coming from here but it is not enough to sustain the state.  It is a flat valley at the foot of the Chugach and Talkeetna mountains.  A real beauty spot with the back drop of Pioneer Peak and Knik Glacier.  The fair grounds are flat and green and often windy.  Along the way the skies start to clear and we see more blue sky and sun.  We pass a hayfield with large gatherings of Sandhill Cranes readying for migration.  They are around 4 feet tall, tawny colored, on stilt legs.  As we walk around the fair the sky clears, the sun is full and the temperature rises with a slight breeze.  It is a perfect fair day.  Dean is asleep in stroller and we have a pair of give-away moose antlers attached to it.  Amy and Terry are importers of wood from around the world.  Amy is part of the wood turner’s guild.  So wherever the crafters display their art she knows them well.  Every year the far displays a central large flora area.  This year it is an adorable bee hive (8 feet tall) surrounded by huge bees and gorgeous yellow daisies and others yellows.  The theme this year is Bee Happy.  We think of Grandma Simons who used to sing Be Happy and wore her t-shirt with the logo.  We visit various vendors and eat fair food, particularly homemade ice cream with flavors of local blueberries, fireweed flower, birch and walnut and local cranberry cheesecake.  We watch the lumber jack show with demonstrations of their skills and humorous antics.  Dean sleeps through most of the fair but awakes for the petting zoo animals.  We laugh at the signs placed around the roosters.  Don’t put your fingers in the cage, they bite.  So a number of children do it anyway.  And we’re not supposed to make faces at them.  Very discerning birds, easily insulted.  The giant veggies the fair is known for have not arrived yet.  There is no mistaking we are at a very different kind of fair.  The mountains, the exhibits, the florals, the products make it clear.  The fair organizers do a great job making it a happy time for all ages.  We end our visit at the native village.  This area has a working fish wheel and a vendor has brought in a matching pair of 30 foot long Bowhead whale jaw bones.  The village is comprised of small brightly colored houses that represent various native groups in Alaska with their crafts and art.  Chuck buys a pair of seal skin slippers lined in otter fur with a beaded medallion on each.  He meets the artist who crafted them.  There is a large stage set up with benches.  We listen to an Eskimo rapper sing his poetry set to music about his culture.  Following, we watch Yupik drummers and dancers complete with brightly colored kuspuks, fur boots, fur and horn head bands and the beautiful grass woven dance fans trimmed in wolf hair.  Dean likes the drumming it puts him to sleep.  The food vendor for this area is serving king crab legs, Indian fry bread, fresh salmon and Eskimo berry ice cream. They have a large slab of open dried salmon fillet, method used by native fish camps on display.  We believe it is for display because it would not pass the food test for fair visitors.  But it looks very tasty.  A bright sky and open mountains are the drive home, what a change from this morning.  There is a sun dog in the sky.  A small rainbow refection of the sun through nearby cloud.  Dropping everyone off, Pat and Chuck stop at old fave restaurant.  Pizza Olympia has not changed from our early days.  It is excellent Greek food and the staff/owners are very Greek.  The old grandpa used to sit in his own booth at dinner time drinking wine while other dined.  His booth now has a shrine with his picture.  We order the flaming cheese and the special, Gyro pizza with Tzatziki sauce.  Enough to take home along with homemade baklava.  Lovely day, now time for rest.  We leave Tuesday night, can’t believe the time is almost past. Night!