What I Love About the Midwest (Part 1)

Festivals!!
Okay, I know all regions of the country have local festivals of one kind or another, but I really think the Midwest has the best.

Way back at the beginning of September we attended the Jersey County Victorian Festival at the historic 1866 Fulkerson Mansion. Since it was Eden's First Official Midwest Festival Experience we brought along the camera to document our time:
Eden really, really likes tractors. I think she must know that even though she was born in Southern California, rural Midwestern farms are in her blood.

I just had an image of microscopic cows and barns and tractors floating around in her bloodstream. You know, Innerspace-style.

Maybe this is a good time to mention that I recently took some pretty powerful cold medicine.

More old tractors!
The festival included a stagecoach hold-up by Jesse James and his gang. (Note: that is NOT Jesse James or his gang pictured in the foreground. Although that would have been awesome.)

I appreciated that this was followed by a gun safety demonstration.

Other activities included a Civil War reenactment (camp pictured above), tours of the mansion, a Victorian Civil War style show (narrated by Mrs. Lincoln, no less), a reading of the Gettysburg Address by President Lincoln, a duel of honor (we missed this - hope they paid attention during the gun safety demonstration), working crafts (blacksmithing, rope-making, etc.), and an antiques, arts, and crafts marketplace.

There were two other activities though that I know stood out to Eden as the highlight of her day:
Baby's first funnel cake!

And... possibly even more exciting to her...
Riding behind a real live tractor back to our car!

My brain is now so fuzzy that I can't think of any rational way to end this post. All I can think of are tractors.

Tractors. Tractors. Tractors. Tractzjklz. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Nigh-night, all.