Salt Spring's Freaking Fun Fall Fair

If you've never been to the Salt Spring Island Fall Fair, it's really an event that you should schedule in for next year as a delightful way to ease into autumn if "easing in" is ever possible given that Fall descends in much the same way a logging truck bears down on a pedestrian outside a crosswalk.  The Fair takes place the third week of September each year. My Blogging schedule has gone to hell so I thought maybe I'd just give you a sense (not truly accurate but you'll get the pun-intended picture) of the past few weeks in photos. Here we go.

I really liked this sign. Whoever made it told people to "Draw Here!" and uncharacteristically, they did what they were told for once.

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This is the kind of thing you'll see. Vegetables, weird characters made out of vegetables, quilts, dogs herding sheep, cotton candy, pies and baked goods, photographs, rides for kids, pies, pies, more pies made by the "pie ladies", a cornucopia of varying degrees of talented local entertainment, weaving, pottery, basketry, tractor pulls, zucchini races, horse jumping and dressage. Classic cars. Emus.  Pigs. Goats. Weird chickens and roosters. The list just goes on and on. It's wholesome country fun that you just don't get in the city; an experience that takes you back a couple of decades worth of innocence and you'd have to be evil or stupid  not to love it uttered in true islander "I'm going to give you my opinion whether you want it or not" fashion.

Somebody actually grew these. No food stylists involved.

The family that bakes weird things together must surely grow more fond of each other if you ask me.

Love watching Border Collies put these sheep in their places.

Really liked this quilt. I'm just trying to imagine who you might give it to? The father of your baby after he left you right after he found out you were pregnant? Not sure really!

My niece Shannon came from Whistler, my sister Joy (right) came from Prince George and her twin, June, arrived from Burnaby.  (Why did my parents have to name two sets of twins with matching first initials?) We had a lot of fun and I'm so glad they came.

I didn't actually grow this (No? Really?) but it was fun to pretend I did! As my friend Linda said on Facebook, "You really should see a doctor about that."

I really like this photo of my sister, June. She looks so happy.

This is Shannon trying to steal a Harley.

This is what you can do with a mother of a zucchini and too much time on your hands. Might just be a cheap Christmas gift for the horse-loving pre-teen in your family.

This is Jack Woodward. He's a Victoria lawyer and he and his wife Glenda own The Harbour House Hotel and the Organic Farm. The farm entries sweeped the blue ribbons and trophies at the fair winning the top trophy that dates back to 1954 (which isn't actually in this photo!)

People always say that gardening types are a little "different". Here's the crew that have turned the Harbour House Organic Farm into a fabulous and growing venture. They submitted 73 entries. They are the face of labour behind the 100 yard diet as they like to call it given that the organic farm is right behind the hotel.  Do you have any idea how much work that would be? I don't and hope never to find out! The head gardener, Rob, is 75 years old. He looks about 63. Amazing!

A new event called Sip & Savour happened this weekend. Friday night at The Hastings House and Saturday afternoon at the Harbour House. It was a really great event organized by the Salt Spring Chamber of Commerce and brought together all manner of growers, vintners, brewers and chefs to give visitors a taste of local (including Cowichan-based) produce and culinary expertise.

This is Nate and Paul. Paul, head chef (right) led the team to win the Best Brunch in Canada Award just recently as hosted by FooddayCanada.com. Read about their creation here

This is Bruce Wood of Bruce's Kitchen. If you knew the type of hours he worked you'd be wondering if the laughter is actually hysteria resulting from exhaustion. I love this photo. I really feel like this photo captures the essence of Bruce at his best. I'm a bit biased however given that I took it. Bruce was just awarded the top prize by FoodDayCanada. Read about it here.

Finally, this is me getting some badly needed exercise. Some people (Catholics) go to confession. On Salt Spring, we prefer to climb up Mt. Erskine and confess to the fairies behind the fairy doors. It's probably just as effective really.  Afterall, if the spirit world was good enough for former Prime Minister William Lyon MacKenzie King, it's good enough for me.

It has been a busy few weeks. But, it has been lots of laughs.