Settling in at the County Fair

The County Fair showed up in our neighboring town this fall. I was so excited to experience this annual event and so was everyone else in my little town. Leading up to the event the country folk explained to me what to expect - farm animals of all sorts, greasy food at every stand, quilts, rides and rodeo, all mixed together for our entertainment. I decided I wanted to try savoring a Navajo taco (a deep fried bread topped with beans, beef or chicken; and lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and salsa) while cheering on some random rednecks at a demolition derby (that is a separate blog in and of it's self).

The day we went, my girls and I had a blast. The girls running from one line to the other. Getting in as many rides as their little tummies could handle. I took the time to stop and look around. What a comprehensive sight! Lights everywhere, bright colors, loud country music and then the smell!! Crisp desert air blended with the smell of food and animals. A thought kept coming to my mind: "How can these County Fair workers do this? Set up everything for a week of fun, games and food, just to have to take it all down. Pack it up and head to the next place. Moving from one place to the other, over and over again. Where do they live? What do they call home? Is a trailer next to the cows all it takes to feel settled? Or maybe just a mattress on the back of the truck so you can make it quickly to the next rodeo event? " I wondered if such a lifestyle was tiring or thrilling. Draining or adventurous? Maybe some people don't need one place to call home. If what we are looking for can't be found where we are at, then move on! Have these people found what they are looking for or are they just not looking for anything? Restlessness caused by our complicity can, I guess, be just as unsettling as moving around constantly. And vise versa, the freedom of moving around can give you a sense of resolve and contentment. You learn how to live in the moment.

Elder Holland said it beautifully: "The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead and remember that faith is always pointed toward the future."

What I learned that very windy afternoon, walking through the County Fair -

Become restlessly content, let go, move on and most of all - Enjoy the ride!

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Don´t squat with your spurs on

If I would ask you the question: "Where should I go to see a real cowboy?" What would be your answer? ... Well I found real cowboys and girls at the Rodeo.  Big belt buckled cowboys. Hats and all. It was cowboy paradise!  I just couldn't grasp all of that wild west seeping through every sense.
So if you don't know what a Rodeo is, let me explain to the best of my Scandinavian ability.  A Rodeo is a sports event where you compete on horse or bull in different categories while being timed. To name a few: Laddies Barrel Racing, Steer Wrestling, Breakaway and Tie-Down Roping (Roping a calf made my youngest pretty sad) and then of course Saddle Bronc Riding and our favorite - Bull riding. I know you didn't come here to read a detailed explanation of a Rodeo, so I guess you could just Google it to know more. And yes, that is all I know about the Rodeo.

Bull riding was to me the most exciting event of the evening.  It's thrilling to watch a very breakable human being on a seemingly wild animal.  The rider takes his time to get situated on the bull and makes sure his grip on the rope around the bulls neck is tighter than bark on a tree.  Then the gate opens and off he goes. Holding on for dear life as the timer ticks.  I have gone through this in my mind a few times and I can still not figure out how the rider gets off the bull any other way than letting go either because the bull won or by the riders choice.  And when that happens... he flies to the ground, lying there, right next to a mad bull. And get this!  That is when the wild west sends out the Rodeo clown to distract the bull so the rider can run for dear life.  I guess the bull gets the saying: "Never approach a bull from the front, a horse from the rear, or a fool from any direction." 

The Bull riding event left an impression on me.  You know those lessons in life that you have to learn the hard way?  Life does that to me a lot.  When going through tough times, hard lessons or rough roads, make sure you hold on, ride it out. And when your storm is over... make sure you run faster than molasses on a cold day.