Last Thursday, I went to the Maryland State Fair. It rained, but I had my umbrella, plus there were a buildings I could duck into. Ben and I went with a friend and got there early. I like to go early so I can take pictures before the crowds arrive. It wouldn't be a fair without a ferris wheel and merry-go-round, and of course there was cotton candy and corn dogs. I had a bowl of turkey chili for lunch and later I had a dish of Moose Tracks ice cream. Have you tried Moose Tracks? I never miss the Honey Building and this year the bee man gave us 6 samples of various honeys. I wound up buying a jar of Maryland wildflower honey, which I thought was the best of those I sampled. The Honey Building is also where the judges award prizes to the best flower arrangements so I checked those out. My favorite building is the Arts and Crafts building so I say goodbye to Ben and go in search of the quilts. As you can see in the pictures, there were some beautiful quilts. There must have been 75-100 on exhibit. I like farm animals and I like to visit the cow barn. The goats, lambs, and alpacas are kept in a separate building and I visit that, too. I love the sweet faces of the alpacas. For the past two years there has been a pig race, but it was raining this year and the pigs had to race between sprinkles. There was a big crowd and we were divided into four sections, with each section having its own cheerleader. Ben volunteered to be a cheerleader for the last race and when they brought the pigs out, the crowd roared. They were pot-belly pigs and their bellies hung to the ground. Ben's pig didn't even run, but waddled around the ring. LOL It was a very funny race. Before we left to go home, we visited the Maryland Natural Resources Center and that's where I took the picture of the beaver. On the outside of the building, a woodcarver was carving a statue using a power saw. I hope you enjoyed my slideshow. Thanks for looking. By Marilyn (LaraOct7@aol.com)