Discovering Dixboro

I can't believe I almost missed it.

The Dixboro Fair got under way at 10 this morning and I couldn't find my way out of bed until 4:30 this afternoon. It's not like I was sleeping or wasting time. I was editing stories and uploading articles and photos to our Web site from my laptop. As the hours passed, I tried to justify not going.

"Lisa will be there and she'll get some great photos. I don't need to shoot video, as well," I told myself.

Then the e-mail came in from Lisa. She wasn't going to be able to make it to that event. She had two other assignments.

Then I told myself: "It's too late. Nobody will be there. There's only an hour and a half left."

But guilt took over and I thought how could I let a great community event like the 32nd annual Dixboro Fair take place without us covering it.

So, I took the short trip down Carpenter Road to US-23, got off on Plymouth Road and stumbled across the quaint community of Dixboro. Cars lined both sides of the road, so I knew I had the right place. It reminded me a lot of the annual Webster Fall Festival because the event is centered around a church and features old-fashioned fun for kids.

I took some video, which will be on our Web site by Monday, and shot a few photos. I captured Maria Scannell, 6, and her older sister, Julia, on video and in a photo making slime. The girls are from Plymouth and their mother was shooting video, as well.

Then I took a photo of Zoe Shulman, 6, of Ann Arbor doing a little shopping. She reminded me of myself as she touched some clothing while browsing the booths. I like to feel fabrics when I am browsing, as well.

Brothers Ian and Eric Steele were playing Skee Roll with their dad, Ray, of Ann Arbor, and I came across Judi Speir-Crawford of Dexter checking out the used books being sold to benefit mission trips and church projects.

For the video, I interviewed Peggy Moran, director of the Dixboro Fair. I was glad to come across her. She was very informative and her comments will add depth to our video of all the activities going on at the fair.

I left the house around 4:30 and was back about an hour later eager to get back to work, but also glad I finally ventured out of bed and experienced the Dixboro Fair. I can't believe I almost missed it.