Ouest woke up having to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. We walked into the hall where the moon was shining in the windows when she suddenly stopped, looked around, and asked me, “Why is everything black and white?” One of the things I love about having kids is seeing the world through their eyes—watching them discover mysteries. I also watched her have a long conversation with Grammy about earrings. “How those holes got there, Grammy?”
Recently Lowe has been amazed by how we find places. “Mama, how did Papa know this park is here?” I’m like a magician the way I make playgrounds appear out of thin air.
The Oregon State Fair is just an hour down the road from Portland, so when Ali heard that Monday was the last day we decided to make the run down there—because, really, what’s better than a fair?
We walked the barns, ate ice-cream, drank a beer, went on rides, watched pig races, pet the farm animals, and inhaled corn dogs. State fairs encapsulate a simpler America (and I don’t just mean the simpleminded Creationists on hand). I think what I like best about them is that they haven’t changed at all in the thirty years I’ve been attending.
32 Comments on “Oregon State Fair”
Those creationists are an embarrassment to all scientists, including
myself, and an embarrassment towards science itself. And anyone who has a basic intelligence. The fair looks awesome, god how i love fairs and carnivals, reminds me of my childhood i suppose, looks like your kids love them as well!
Trent.
My favorite one is Lowe with a chocolate face. The state fair is like a toddler frat party…”Dude, what’s goin’ on?”
My favorite pic as well 😛
Wonderful photos. I really love the last one.
Love the evolution is a lie booth..still amazing people spout that stuff..
Your kids always look so happy and involved..great childhood!!!
I believe in creation and an intelligent design, and I’m no fool. I understand why you might think so but consider this. That a man and woman could almost by accident create two beautiful children like Ouest and Lowe with the complexities of their bodies and their minds, along with that certain spark that makes them alive, the same, and yet different beings is to me proof that we are not accidents but that we are intelligently designed. I am a Christian and I believe the Bible. Enough said.
I have been following the Bumfuzzle crew for years and enjoyed all their books and blogs. My thanks goes out to Pat and Ali for allowing the rest of us into their lives in such an open way.
Keith Wolfe
Indianapolis, IN USA
The use of the word “believe” is improper. The correct term is “pretend”
After seeing the debate the ‘no life jackets on the row boat’ post started, I can’t wait to see what this one touches off…
Here’s one to get it started: I don’t think creationists are by definition simpleminded, they just don’t process information the way normal people do. It’s not thier fault, god made them that way.
LOL “god made them that way”
Simpleminded…Hmmmmmmm…I think not.
I’m just happy to see that Molly Dolly enjoyed the fair too :)Kids at Fairs should not have to endure the opinions of adults,hopefully there were no other Judgmental Exhibitors to steer Molly away from….:)
I love when you post something like this. Reading the comments makes me giggle. Thanks. 🙂
Through your various writings and also comments on your blog I´m getting to know americans a bit better. I´m from Spain and our way of thinking is very different, our experiences too.
So it´s a great read and of course marvelous pictures.
Thanks!
That last picture just totally rocks. Americana at its best.
This is worthy reading about the matter of “creationism” as discussed among the scholarly within the Christian establishment (*as opposed to the pedestrian dialogue had among the believing masses and their frontline pastors):
https://web.archive.org/web/20110605124910/http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/june/historicaladam.html
Snip from mid-article: “Tremper Longman III of Westmont College admits, “I have not resolved this issue in my own mind except to say that there is nothing that insists on a literal understanding of Adam in a passage [Gen. 1-3] so filled with obvious figurative description.” He is similarly open-minded on the question of Paul’s epistles because “it is possible, even natural, to make an analogy between a literary figure and a historical one.” After BioLogos promoted Longman’s views in a video last year, Reformed Theological Seminary ended Longman’s role as an adjunct faculty member.
That dismissal was overshadowed at the seminary by a related dustup over noted Old Testament scholar Bruce Waltke. The administration abruptly accepted his offer of resignation due to a BioLogos video in which Waltke remarked that “if the data is overwhelming in favor of evolution, to deny that reality will make us a cult.” Waltke began teaching at Knox Theological Seminary this year.
Though that dispute concerned theistic evolution, not the historical Adam, Waltke is open to the new thinking. In an interview, the former president of the Evangelical Theological Society affirmed the “inerrancy of the Bible, but not of interpretations.” He sees Adam and Eve as historical individuals. But if genetics produces the conclusion that “Scripture has a collectivity represented as an individual, that doesn’t bother me,” he said. “We have to go with the scientific evidence. I don’t think we can ignore it. I have full confidence in Scripture, but it does not represent what science represents.” Waltke insists, however, that if a collective interpretation of Adam is established eventually, then fidelity to the Bible still requires “an origination point” with “a historical reality of man rebelling against God.””
Don’t fail to avail yourselves of archive.org either. Besides aiding me in presenting this info that is now behind a paywall at the Christianity Today website, archive.org has a termendous amount of historical multimedia content and is of course a great resource for research on other topics besides the question of evolution or the historicity of Adam and Eve.
Cheers,
I admire the faith of those who believe that life, in all it’s complicated splendor, stemmed from a puddle of goo.
It is exciting to think of how many “fairs”(county or state) that your children have attended. This one was special because Grammy was there to read the labels! I doubt that there are many children under 5 who have been to more than a couple of local fairs. Americana at its best!
Wonder where the SPCA is? Pig racing?? What fun!!!!!
As an atheist, I completely sympathize with your annoyance at “Evolution is a lie” displays, but this “what a bunch of jerks!” attitude doesn’t help. The country is polarized enough.
And I sincerely doubt anyone was ever *talked out* of their religious views. Or changed their minds because of some casual contempt thrown their way.
I don’t believe in Christianity or any other organized religion but the last thing I want to do is disrespect those that do. No one should count themselves superior because they ‘believe’ in evolution, Darwin was genius in formulating it, but all others should take no credit or pride simply because they accept it. For now it is the most plausible and credible theory and no doubt has much merit. But I am old enough to have witnessed many, many ideas that were once taken for granted only to be later completely debunked.
Each and every generation has had access to a greater body of accumulated scientific knowledge than earlier generations, but certainly are no wiser, more intelligent or better educated in critical thinking than generations long past. Every high school kid today has far greater factual knowledge than Thomas Jefferson or Benjamin Franklin or any other 18th century figures were privy to. Only a fool would believe we are wiser or more intelligent than those who came long before us based on the cultural accumulation of knowledge. A little humility is in order, none of us really ‘know’ anything, we are all merely creatures of our time and place.
…and I sincerely doubt anyone is talked out of expressing their opinions by criticizing what they say.
I have to admit I too was taken back by Pat’s comment “and I don’t just mean the simpleminded Creationists on hand” I know two brilliant engineers, one holds a PhD in mathematics, has 30 or more patents. The other is a pure genius in the field of microwaves. Both believe God created man. Simpleminded ? No, a better, perhaps a more descriptive word would be differentminded.
I have a PhD in Biology. I don’t know jack about engineering. When people ask me if I’m religious, I respond with “No, I am a biologist”. Evolution is at the core of all things living. Nothing living on this planet would be here without evolution. And for those of you that like the “it’s just a theory argument”, don’t forget that heliocentrism is also a theory (the idea that the Earth and planets revolve around the sun, which is said to be at the center of the solar system). And the explanation for why objects attract are based on two other theories – gravity and relativity. But, again, they are also “just theories”.
The worst thing Christians ever did was get involved in politics- far right politics. It is driving people away in big numbers…
Christians got involved in politics when government sanctioned the killing of unborn babies.
Good grief!!!
I’ve followed this site for years. While I’ve enjoyed the adventures, Pat’s superiority complex in the face of many issues has manifested itself throughout the years. He listens to few, if any, and one of these days, his mindset is going to lead to a catastrophic event.
Excellent comments from many, especially Bayrider.
People used to say these kind of things about P&A on the sailing forums when they were doing a RTW. It’s sad, and a little disturbing, because it feels like you are hoping that something bad does happen. Pat is a smart guy, and seems to manage his risks very well.
Managing risks as in two little kids on a sailboat.
EXACTLY. I keep seeing all these photos of the kids with farm animals, but WHERE IS THE HAND SANITIZER???!?!? And then there’s a photo of Lowe with his hand in his mouth. OMG.
Your lackadaisical attitude toward E Coli, salmonella, and listeria is going to result in disaster. Also, cowpox. Don’t forget about cowpox.
haha, this is ‘merica, where we celebrate diversity – sorta kinda! … those kids sure are cute, and the honesty that age is always refreshing. It’s fun tagging along, but it hit me today that they’re starting to lose the baby face (sniff). Guess it’s time to start planning number three? Safe travels.
It was great running into you guys again at the fair…even better this time since I didn’t have to pull you over on the highway.
Wonder where it will be next time.