Marigolds make me think back to the California State Fairs of the 1950's. The old fairgrounds off Broadway were shady. We used to picnic on the big lawn in front of the wonderful Counties Building. Meeting by the Golden Bears was standard proceedure. There were young boys wandering around the fairgrounds selling the Bee with their singsong call of "Sacramento BEE Pay-per!"
Those were the days when the counties went all out with marvelous moving displays and fresh fruit and veggies. Today's displays seem to lack imagination and often contain plastic "crops". There was a huge greenhouse to walk through, with waterfalls and tropical plants. The racetrack was lined with eucalyptus trees and I so envied the little boys who got to work in the stable areas. The state fair of yesteryear was all about crops, both livestock as well as edible and wearable (cotton). It helped the city folk connect with the bounties of the earth and gave the country folk a place to admire and/or show off their produce. Today's state fair seems to be more about manufactured "things". There is more space given to "stuff" than to livestock and produce. Personally I think that the farther we get away from dirt and growing things, the more we lose touch with reality. I'll get off my little soap box now.
Marigolds make me think back to the California State Fairs of the 1950's. The old fairgrounds off Broadway were shady. We used to picnic on the big lawn in front of the wonderful Counties Building. Meeting by the Golden Bears was standard proceedure. There were young boys wandering around the fairgrounds selling the Bee with their singsong call of "Sacramento BEE Pay-per!" Those were the days when the counties went all out with marvelous moving displays and fresh fruit and veggies. Today's displays seem to lack imagination and often contain plastic "crops". There was a huge greenhouse to walk through, with waterfalls and tropical plants. The racetrack was lined with eucalyptus trees and I so envied the little boys who got to work in the stable areas. The state fair of yesteryear was all about crops, both livestock as well as edible and wearable (cotton). It helped the city folk connect with the bounties of the earth and gave the country folk a place to admire and/or show off their produce. Today's state fair seems to be more about manufactured "things". There is more space given to "stuff" than to livestock and produce. Personally I think that the farther we get away from dirt and growing things, the more we lose touch with reality. I'll get off my little soap box now. 
