what about the plastic animals?

Minnesota State Fair: Hogs

Pigs are cute when they're asleep.

Hog judging

Minnesota's largest boar

Barbecue smoker

If you're in Minnesota in late-August you have to go to the State Fair.  The fairgrounds are a short walk from Jeff and Ann's house so we went on each of the two Fridays I was there.  The Minnesota State Fair is one of the largest, best attended state fairs and is famous for serving a nearly limitless variety of foods on-a-stick.

The hog barn was very impressive.  In addition to seeing lots of kids taking care of their animals we got to see a hog judging.  I learned that, while leading your animal around the pen, you need to maintain eye contact with the judge.  That's so the judge can see how well you've trained your pig.  Don't tell the pigs this, but following the hog judging was the carcass competition.

Minnesota's largest boar weight in at nearly 1200 pounds.   He was quite a specimen.

Mall Within a Mall

The Minneapolis airport is more like a mall than a dreary terminal.   Having a Mall of America store (what mall has a store?) within the airport mall was way too confusing for me.  For the record I did not go to either the Mall of America (the mall) or the Mall of America store (within the airport mall).

Stall

Inside a men's room stall at the Minneapolis airport.

I don't know if this was the stall.  The bathroom was empty when I visited.

I had a great week in Minnesota and Wisconsin.  While there I saw the state fair, a very large hog, an even larger muskie, a beautiful moonrise, sea caves and more.  Most importantly, I enjoyed visiting my friends Jeff and Ann.  A fuller report coming soon!