Let's go to the Fair!

One of my favourite things to do in the fall is visit the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto at Exhibition Place. Farm animals - all kinds of them from all over North America compete for blue ribbons and their keepers and groomers take amazing care of these prize animals.

The barn stalls are filled with dairy cattle today, it's their turn to compete. This lovely Holstein slowly chewed her cud while giving me a long look. Other dairy cows were being groomed, washed, clipped and cleaned.

A line of Brown Swiss await their turn but these girls have got their hay and have decided like many others they might as well take a break - are they old hands at this? One would think.

Calves wait their turn in the grooming stands. They'll be fluffed and brushed, combed and have their hooves blackened if they're black, polished if they're white.

These darlin's have had their grooming session and also have just had their fleece removed so they are blanketed and hooded to keep them clean and warm... hay and droppings do have a way of getting wound in even the shortest haircut.

 And this one is getting its beauty treatment.

Just a few of the wonderful creatures I saw at "The Royal." Tomorrow, I'll post some more.

You may or may not be amused by my complete delight in the fair - for me, it's a tradition. One of my sons came with me, and laughed afterwards -"Mother you're hilarious the way you croon to all the animals - 'oh look at you you're the most beautiful horse (sheep, calf, lamb, llama etc.). I remember with great fondness, going to "The Royal" as a child with my family and spending inordinate amounts of time in the Horse Palace, which of course was exactly the same this time. I so love those horses. My mother knew I wouldn't be lost if I was missing - she always knew where to find me. And so with my son.

There's something so joyous about renewing tradition with one's family - son, daughter, father, cousin, mother, brother. These things are somehow more precious as the days go by and we age.

And "The Royal" - well it's just plain special, even though it's changed a lot. It's still wonderful.

Hope you find some wonderful tradition to share with your family -close or extended - today or soon.