The annual State Fair is a big event here in Minnesota. It is regularly voted the country’s ‘Best State Fair’ and over 2.2 million crowd the fairgrounds on 12 days busy each year.

Among the colorful carnival rides, popular grandstand shows, and greasy food-on-a-stick, the fairgrounds have a dozen buildings where Minnesotans compete for ribbons in hundreds of creative, horticultural, and agricultural events.

I’ve always pined to win a state fair ribbon and this was my year. I entered a collection of antique postcards in the Creative Activities building competition and came home with a first-place BLUE RIBBON!

My collection of “Linen Era” postcards featured landmark sights around the state. The cards are from the 1930s-40s-50s and have colorful illustrations on a textured finish. I’ve visited each of the sights on my road trips over the last 12-18 months and matched up each of the postcards with a current day photograph on this WEBPAGE – that fairgoers can access from a QR code.

My friend Russ and I are often joke about ‘Quirky Pursuits & Accomplishments’ we can add to our professional resumes now we don’t work anymore. This blue ribbon definitely goes on that list along with some of the other quirky pursuits that early retirement has provided the time for.

What quirky endeavors are you up to right now?

Images: (c) MrFireStation.com