IT'S STATE FAIR TIME AGAIN!

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THE STORY: "HOW I GOT MY CHILI RECIPE!"
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The above photo I took of this little "Concertina
Man," at the 1970 New Mexico State Fair, never fails
to transport me back to the shady lanes, booths,
agricultural and livestock buildings, the photographic
exhibits, the beautiful native American Arts and Crafts,
and I mustn't forget the Midway (or the food
concessions!)

Walking through all this grandeur to the incredible
smells of sizzling onions and bell peppers on the grill,
burgers, brats, turkey legs, hot dogs frying, and
fry-bread cooking....while the visual and olfactory
senses are being pleasurably assailed---- sounds of
the midway, laughing children, and "The Concertina
Man" and his entourage make it all worthwhile!

When I first saw and heard them---he and his followers
were coming down the shady street and marched right by
me. Desperately wanting a picture of this parade I ran by
them, and turned and shot a good photo! What do you
imagine he was playing? It was: "She'll Be Comin' Round
The Mountain When She Comes!"

Used to, about this time each year, we'd start saving up
our bucks, anticipating a right smart of fun when fair
time came. Fifty years ago, money was not so plentiful
but adults could get in for a dollar and kids were fifty
cents---and free occasionally on special days!

We'd park over there by Fair Plaza and walk across the
street and enter at the north gate, handy for checking
out all the livestock, which our little kids greatly enjoyed.
It was always interesting to see how the ranchers and
animal owners had their bunks right there by their stock,
to oversee them 24/7.

I had taken up photography in 1968 and was winning some
awards in various contests. The state fair was always a
big challenge with stiff competition. I'd enter a number of
black and white 16/20's and color slides ahead of time,
and then when the fair opened, the whole family would
go to the photographic display, usually near the Methodist
Church Cafe, and see if and what I had won.

Over the years I had quite a few Firsts, Seconds, and
Thirds, plus at least one BEST OF SHOW, which was
for "Roswell Crosses," a modern tower design in a
Roswell shopping center. To this day, the awards are
visible---stamped on the back of my photographs.

We let the kids ride whatever they wanted, within reason,
visited all the things we wanted to see, and settled down
somewhere with some good old unhealthy fair food.
"Good old" may be translated-"FRIED!"

A recent documentary on TV itemized and condemned
all the "fried" foods at today's fairs. "Fried" seems to have
multiplied over the past 40 years. They showed "chocolate
covered-bacon-on-a-stick," chicken-on-a-stick dipped in
batter and rolled in corn flakes and fried," "fried mac and
cheese," and some kind of "fried ice cream," among many
other offending offerings! And of course, there's the ever
present fried turkey leg, which doesn't look too great to me,
and the traditional "fry bread," which does look good!

Much personal history is connected to the state fair in our
family. Over the years we remember seeing many friends
out there, usually decked out in western garb---boots, bolos,
and squash blossoms. Many of these folks are not around
anymore.

The "beloved editor" could write pages about her annual
visits to the fair---before opening day! In her position with APS,
she and her Arts/Music Resource Center folks had the job of
hanging the art work of Albuquerque's elementary school
children---in a special display section. This entailed much
climbing of ladders, but of course was a very important and
worthwhile display of the children's efforts, as well as a much-
visited venue.

Of all the fairs we attended, there is one that stands out in my
mind as the most special one in our family. The year was 1974.
Strangely, only half of our family went---my youngest son,
age 10, and I. My wife was in Texas for family illness, and my
oldest son was working. It was my youngest son's last year to
ride all the the kiddie rides and he didn't want to miss out.

We had for one reason or other waited until week two to go.
The weather had been very hot for the fair that year. Seemed
that everyone was tired of hot weather! Our fair day came.
Now a funny thing happened on the way to the fair late that
afternoon. You won't believe this!

It's true. An awful blue norther...a rare one...an early one---
one that would have made November proud---BLEW IN.
It began to get windier and colder. "We'd better dig out our
coats," I suggested, grabbing my light-weight suede jacket-
those were all the rage at the time. I didn't much like the looks
of the weather---skies were gray and overcast---it was getting
very blustery, and it seemed a bad day to be at a fair...but
My son's heart was set on fun, rides, exhibits, animals, and
HOT DOGS!

We got there and began doing our thing. He rode on half-filled
carousels. We walked around on sparse fair grounds, wind
whipping around us...not many people around. Even the great
trademark onion/bell peppers smells of that cafe on the sidewalk
were being whipped away in the wind. Now in the middle of
September sundown is about 7:10 p.m. or so---it began to get
dark and even the stock people were putting their little pigs,
calves, and critters to bed and buttoning up.

It was starting to mist. He said: "Dad let's find a cup of coffee
at one of these deals and get something to eat!" (Yes, he was
a notorious 10 year old coffee drinker!) We started looking for
an eating place still open...as it was about 7:30 or after. We
finally spotted a little cafe, went in, sat down on the stools,
and the guy told us we were lucky---they were just closing.

We got his last coffee as he emptied the thing, and the last
two big bowls of "chuck wagon chili" out of his chili pot!!!
That was the BEST CHILI CON CARNE I had ever eaten
in my life! You can imagine...cold evening and all...

It so happened that this little state fair cafe was run
annually by church volunteers, and I knew one of
them personally from business contacts. One day,
later on I asked him if he could get me the recipe
for that grand chili...AND HE DID...saying "Normally
when I give this out to someone, I have to kill them!"

SO...see why it was the greatest state fair of all!
I have made this chili hundreds of times...and in
fact improved it "in my own right." I gave it to my
son the day he married and he has made it
countless times.

What a great and memorable state fair that one
was! I've always wanted to go back to the fair
again during a norther, but alas---though it has
rained a few times, it has never been that cold
since.

Neither did I ever see my little "Concertina Man"
out there again. If he was forty then, he'd
be about eighty now. Maybe he sits at home
and plays in his rocking chair.

We are lucky to live in this enchanted, beautiful
state, and there are few entertainments as
great as our State Fair.

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BY MIL
8/25/13