It was a beautiful day and I took the back roads where, even though it’s a long way from Oklahoma, “the corn is as high as an elephant’s eye”. Which made me wonder if an elephant’s eye really is 8 or 9 feet high. And another thing I just found out is that, at least in some parts of Europe, corn is a generic term for grain crops. So when a European refers to “corn”, it could be wheat, or rye in the fields. Perhaps European elephants are smaller, or have shorter legs.
![IMG_20140809_104350171 IMG_20140809_104350171](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-HIvzee1SKrE/U-ax0H1qI7I/AAAAAAAAEVU/q-ZrOomm6G8/IMG_20140809_104350171_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
These were the thoughts that kept me occupied/amused as I headed to the fair. That and avoiding the potholes still not patched after the winter did its usual road damage. One that I did miss, hidden in the shadows of a large tree, was deep and sharp enough that I consider myself lucky not to have flattened my front tire. After that I paid more attention and made it to the fair without further incident.
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I parked in a no parking zone (pretty lax parking controls on fair days as long as you don’t block a driveway) and went garlic hunting.
![IMG_20140809_101403723 IMG_20140809_101403723](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pQuYd33mZ14/U-ax49VBilI/AAAAAAAAEV0/UL961Yd0c1k/IMG_20140809_101403723_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
After much sampling (and heavy with garlic breath – phew) I made my purchases. I added a few ears of corn for dinner tonight, and I was done.
Mission accomplished.
![IMG_20140809_132122171 IMG_20140809_132122171](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-mbftv1KvBaI/U-ax6zv9OYI/AAAAAAAAEWE/wAzfo4E3YYo/IMG_20140809_132122171_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
On the way home I came across the ultimate example of that much joked about Canadian penchant for politeness. I stopped at the Dairy Queen in Arnprior for an ice cream. It seems they had a problem with people stealing the decorative pebbles beside the patio (Why?). Instead of posting “Beware of Dog”, or “We shoot to kill” posters the owner took a most Canadian approach and asked nicely. And apparently it’s working. Go figure.
![IMG_20140809_112122177_HDR IMG_20140809_112122177_HDR](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jPHv1OK4d_8/U-ax8rewE9I/AAAAAAAAEWU/zavGUJpgt20/IMG_20140809_112122177_HDR_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
All in all a great day, a nice ride, and I’ll be free from vampires for a few more hours yet.