These wild turkeys were pecking away at bugs in the grass of a vacant corner lot in St. Louis Park near my son's school. This is another of those species that's really bounced back in urban areas, as have the Canada Goose and the Red Fox. These goofballs were totally oblivious to me; I think I could have walked up and grabbed one with my bare hands if I'd wanted to.
Many of you know that my friend, Jim Clifford, and I do a ukulele act with Lili's Burlesque. During every show I just marvel at the quality of the acts (and I ain't talkin about my own). These girls, even though they are paid a pittance, are total pros. Top-notch. Here are a couple of them mentally preparing like pre-event athletes backstage at the Bryant Lake Bowl with their iPods.
Had a bit of insomnia last night and somehow stumbled on this Czech vixen and her posse on YouTube. This video links to a ton of other great stuff; careful, if you're anything like me you'll find it addictive. Incidentally, here's Miluska's translated Czech Wikipedia bio. Run this baby over your brain pan:
"In Theaters Semaphore came through bankruptcy in 1968 as an eighteen year old. Has become very beautiful (especially men's audience), admired the baby of former semaforského file, which then acted with both groups semaforskými. Since 1972 she began working with a group of Apollobeat Spalene Peter, whom have gone on and married. In the early seventies was on top of his singing career, invest in the leaders in poll Golden Nightingale. In 1971 won the audience prize at the festival Děčínská anchor, and in 1972 the price of journalists at the Polish Festival in Sopot. Currently, only occasionally performs with her husband Peter burned."
Just a few shots that don't really fit into any category but make me smile. Extra credit if you get "The Peg" thing; I didn't (before explanation), but it made my friend laugh pretty hard. Warning: it's dirty.
Everyone tries to win stuff on the Midway, even if they don't really want it. I tried to win one of these giant Spidies, and thankfully (in retrospect), didn't. This girl did... what does a person do with an object like this? Especially while you're at the fair?
A peculiararity this year was that many of the prizes were currency-themed. Money pillows, money lions, etc. Sign of the times, I guess.
When I was a kid there was a bunch of freak shows on the Midway; now there's just one. But the art does not disappoint. The show? Well, let's just say that it doesn't live up to the art. But it's still pretty stomach-turning, all of those poor people sitting there, being gawked at.
The late, great Billy Mays was popular for a very good reason: with his voice and hands, he made products into miracles. It's almost like watching a vaudeville act... very polished delivery, lots of canned jokes... in other words, very entertaining. At the State Fair, you can watch pitchmen (I didn't see any women) who are almost as good as Billy up close and personal. Most of them are doing things with veggies, though there are several Cham-wow guys scattered about the fairgrounds this year as well. Incidentally, I bought one of these V-Slicers, and it works great!
There seems to be more and more "pork-paganda" at the Fair nowadays, much of it sort of unsettlingly funny. Not that I don't love pork, but it's a little bizarre, for instance, to see depictions of little piggies happily playing among the plates of ham, bacon and sausage they are about to become.