a ticket to ride

Summer brings with it fairs, amusement parks, playlands, and fairgrounds.  Growing up we had the traveling country fairs. Summer weekends were marked by different festivals pulling into the small rural towns and setting up for a few days of fun. Each had its own unique name, and some its very own queen. My favorite was the apple dumpling festival, of course with its newly crowned "little miss apple dumpling" and her grand counterpart the apple dumpling queen. Summer fun and pageantry, full of food, rides, games and even the occasional livestock. Now as an adult I live near a summer playland complete with whirring rides, bags of pink cotton candy and one very loud arcade. We know summer has officially begun here when the playland is open for business. Going always makes me nostalgic for the fairs of my youth, the rides are the same rides I rode as a kid, the junk food the same, even the photos I take now of my own kids on the rides look no different from the photos of me as a kid that line the old family photo albums. I remember being little and handed that coveted book of ride tickets. The excitement that paper book of tickets evoked. Adventure in my little hand; what to ride? how many rides would I get?! would I be tall enough for the bigger rides???!!!! Oh the anticipation.

Adventure does not have to be GRAND, it can be as simple as a hand full of paper tickets. Have you had any little adventures in your life lately?

In spirit of August's One Word , adventure, share yours with us today.

Comments

[Marcie]

Most of my adventures this summer have been spent in the Vermont mountains and fields:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/home/2011/8/16/queen-of-lace.html

[Caryn]

I just returned from a road trip...my first in quite a long time! And, yes, it was an adventure. :-)
http://instamaticgratification.wordpress.com/2011/08/17/385/

[pthurmond1]

My husband and I visit Key West every other year for adventure and rejuvenation! This year while shark fishing(pretty adventurous) I was amazed at the beauty of the sky and ocean.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/50901045@N02/5946207892/in/photostream

[shirley]

We road trip every year to Cedar Point Amusement park in Ohio. We love the rides there.

http://www.shirleybehindthelens.com/2011/08/windseeker.html

[Anna]

Leaving on a mini-adventure in a couple days to take our daughter to college. This will also be an opportunity for me to take some photos in a bigger city, something I am looking forward to!

http://www.vandemarkdesigns.blogspot.com/2011/08/packing.html

[DebC]

This summer was terrific for me!
Our previous visit to the western United States was in 1976;
we went this time with our youngest (now 19 years old):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/57210424@N06/
First mission trip (linked to FaceBook album from a blog post):
http://simplify-daily-life.blogspot.com/2011/08/20110815-photo-updates.html
And, and oldie, but goodie . . . the county fair:
http://simplify-daily-life.blogspot.com/2011/08/20110817-old-settlers-days.html

[autumn sun]

this summer Chicago was our grand adventure.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/5925015476/

[Laura Louise]

Jumping off the dock and tubing for the first time!!! Summer adventures....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35374947@N04/6019141265/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/35374947@N04/6019126373/in/photostream/

[NatsterNat]

We had two adventures this summer... one was a planned trip to the Sunshine Coast, and the other a spur of the moment camping trip. I loved them both and wish we had more opportunities to get away.

Here is one of my favourites from the Sunshine Coast...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58861148@N02/6046375970/in/photostream

And here is one of my favourites from our camping trip...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58861148@N02/6052717505/in/photostream

[LeAnne Thomas]

Last Autumn, I committed to taking a series of four day personal retreats on a quarterly basis for a year. The retreat spot I chose is a small sacristy that had been converted to a hermitage in the mountains near a convent. The first few times the nights were the hardest part about it, as I heard every noise imaginable out in the woods. Now, after my fourth trip, I'm not afraid any more. Right before I wrapped up this last visit, I spotted this baby racoon outside my door and he seemed as curious about me as I was about him. http://www.flickr.com/photos/leanne8790/6044173520/

[rakusribut]

once a week we have what we call a 'family adventure' with our dogs
we go to the shopping mall and return through the park, where they can run and explore freely
the dogs love it, and we really enjoy their enthusiasm and the beautiful greenness around us

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61760618@N08/sets/72157627331899049/detail/

my personal adventure today was climbing on top of a big heap of discarded branches and photographing all the beautiful colors and shapes hidden among the leaves and twigs

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61760618@N08/6053063515/in/photostream

[georgia]

haha... i wish i could say i had some adventures as of lately. but with a 9-week old nursing little one at home, it's hard to get away for anything too adventurous... big or small. but i did get a little quiet get-away recently when the hubby got home from work and took our son for me for a couple hours so i could have some solitude. not really adventurous in the typical sense... but venturing out, none the less...

http://itsjusthowiseethings.blogspot.com/2011/08/my-summer-nature-preserve-photo-walk.html

love your tickets sign! so full of nostalgia!

[Corinna]

Though I have never been to Paris, I had a little Parisian-feeling adventure in my own neighborhood last night:
http://www.birdwannawhistle.com/blog/2011/8/17/postcards-from-paris.html

[Tina]

A scary adventure for me. I wrote this yesterday..............

How do I feel?

Shocked at myself. Scared. Nauseous.

Underneath it all, very well hidden at the moment, is a frisson of excitement.

Why am I feeling all of this?

30 minutes ago I instructed an Estate Agent to sell my house.

It’s been my home for almost 24 years.

I raised my sons here. I’ve cried here. I’ve laughed here. I’ve despaired here. I’ve loved here. I became sober here. I’ve aged here.

Every emotion possible has been felt in this house.

You are aged 119. I’m aged 50. We don’t fit anymore.

I love you Ferndale. I’m willing to sell you to somebody who will love you too. A family that can also grow within your warm walls & wonky windows.

How do I feel?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/greenhillphotography/6054454176/in/photostream

[cortland finnegan jersey authentic]

You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people need to read this and understand this side of the story.

[robert meachem jersey number]

I examined them, because I find what I want to see use. You have ended a four-day long hunt! God bless you man. There is a great day. Goodbye

[Liz B.]

Earlier in the summer I enjoyed another trip to Zion, this time though I made sure to bring my DSLR and take some pictures since I'm not used to taking purely wildlife photos. It was a great experiment and wish I could go back already.
http://photographer.pureplush.com/2011/zion-canyon-vacation.html

[Houston Home Security]

Lately I came to your website and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my initial comment. Keep writing, because your posts are impressive!
<a href="http://www.smithmonitoring.com/houston-security/">Houston Home Security</a>