Great Balls of Fair!

© Stuart Pearl 2010 - (Click Images For Better Viewing)

Jeanne and I mark the end of summer by visiting several local festivals. One of our favorites is the Geauga County Fair. It has a great "country feel" and the jaunt out to Burton, Ohio is always a pleasant drive from the city. It's also a great place to graze for dinner, wander the merchant booths, see interesting livestock and just watch family and kids having fun.

This year we saw something new and quite entertaining. Imagine a large shallow pool holding a bunch of clear, floating beach balls, each containing a young, energetic child running in place like a hamster in a wheel. We have no idea what this is called, but the kids were having a riot. Their young parents were enjoying the sight too.

Perhaps Jeanne and I are getting older, but we had other thougts as we watched the happy chaos. "Gee, I wonder how much air those things hold?" The kids were obviously hopped up on cotton candy, Pepsi, icecream and other fair food as they twirled in place. And the balls were sealed with a large zipper to keep the water out. Jeanne told me not to worry.

"That's ok, they probably unzip the kids right before they start getting lethargic and a little blue in the face." My wife always knows when to say the right thing.

Summer's Last Adventure

"Exploring"

© Stuart Pearl 2010 - Click on Images to Enlarge

Boys and creeks seem to go naturally together. I remember as a young boy how streams and ponds drew me like a magnet. Small fish, tadpoles and frogs were wonderful treasures to be stalked and captured.

Perhaps this is the last summer adventure before school starts for these young fellows: exploring the creek. Jeanne and I decided to spend Labor Day hiking around Tinkers Creek and Viaduct Park. While enjoying Bridal Veil Falls we saw these young fellows walking the creekbed in search of surprises.

"Discovering"

Descending the terraced shale they stopped to inspect clear pools of water. Maybe they saw minnows or small crayfish.

"Celebrating"

Eventually they find a bare tree branch, long since stripped of it's bark, adorning the creek as seasonal driftwood. Hoisting their prize in victory they give a yell and proceed down the stream.

Jeann and I took a more sedate route down the gravel path. One of the overlook decks provided a safer view of Bridal Veil Falls. The area also has some enjoyable loop trails and we took advantage of those.