Getting Muddy at the OCF

On Sunday, we drove to Eugene for the last day of

the Oregon Country Fair.

Everything was going as planned until we were about 30 minutes

from the entrance, at which point it started pouring.

But it wasn't just raining... there was thunder, lighting, the works.

So we decided to stop in town to get a bite to eat,

hoping that we could wait out the storm.

By the time we were done with lunch, it was still pouring,

but because we had bought tickets in advance, we figured we would

go to the fair, rain or no rain.

And miraculously, as soon as we pulled in the rain stopped.

However, it had left a mark, to say the least.

Getting muddy was inevitable,

it was just a matter of how muddy you chose to get.

While I tried to avoid the mud (with limited success)

it was hard to keep Orin out of it.

If it hasn't already become clear from the previous pictures,

the Oregon Country Fair is not a normal fair in any sense.

Instead of being in a big open field, it is tucked away in the trees.

All of the booths are permanent... some are tree houses,

some are forts, some are manned by wizards,

others feature crazy guys talking about saving the unicorns

and, of course, it is best not to forget the tree people

(they are always listening, you know)

Orin loved the fair.

He got to explore the mazes,

see all of the interesting sculptures and paintings,

dance to the various bands,

and gawk at the Super Tall People

and the naked mud people that, for your sake,

I have not posted pictures of.

He even got a necklace from a witch that

was giving out free beads

to all the babies who had braved the storm.

By the end of the day we were all thoroughly covered in mud,

but quite content,

except Orin who seemed a little reluctant to say goodbye.

"We will come back next year"... we promised...

"we can find you some mud somewhere else in the meantime"

Just as we were pulling away from the fair grounds,

as if it had been waiting for us the whole time,

the rain started up again and didn't stop for the rest of the night.

After this weekend and our experience at Bonnaroo,

I am starting to think it is Orin who brings the break in the clouds.