Farms, food, and fotos

Today's post is more about photos than the actual activity. Although for us, the activity was quite fun to do as a family. We went to the local NC Agricultural Festival, which was basically another name for a smaller version of their state fair (which we went to in October). Our biggest draw this time was the fact that they had a petting zoo (with camels! and llamas!) because we happen to have a little girl who has grown quite fascinated with livestock. At one point, we saw her imitating goat sounds, except her imitation sounded more like a dog (she's still quite limited).

Our other favorite part was the food-sampling exhibition. As Ted mentioned, if you're of the entrepreneurial spirit, don't try to break into the BBQ sauce business, at least in the state of North Carolina. It has been there'd and done'd many times over. And most of them were quite good, but I ain't paying $8 for a small bottle of it. Now the blackberry cider drink...that was original. And ridiculously tasty. Especially in slushy form.

There were probably about 100 booths set up in a building with different samplings going on at each one. At least 40 of them were for BBQ sauces, if not more. There was one booth sponsored by a local grocery store chain, and they were passing out their plastic bags for any loot you were going to end up buying. But for the most part, the people I saw didn't have purchased items in there. No, no. They were over at the Malt O Meal booth, loading up FULL BAGS of the company's individual cereal bowls and oatmeals. People, this is not a free-for-all grocery shopping trip. They're samples. Take one and move along. Rednecks... (or, "Mormons"...)

But back to my point. I've been looking at lots of pictures on lots of blogs/online albums/professionals' websites lately and have been feeling a bit of photo envy. Up to now I've thought I needed a much more fancy camera than I have in order to achieve that kind of artistic level, and while that is certainly true, I've also learned there's much more I can do with a little editing software that I've been too lazy or too ignorant to focus on before. So I took a few minutes with a couple of the next 4 pictures to try to make them look a little more aesthetic. If you wouldn't mind, leave a comment and let me know which two you think are the best in terms of the look of the picture (not necessarily the subject matter), so I can know if I'm on the right track. Your input would be greatly appreciated. But not as much as if you showed up at my door with free ice cream. That would send me through the roof with glee.