Nervous 4-H and FFA members lined up for the annual youth auction Friday night at the Hood River County Fair.

Just as with any big event, the jitters can set in while waiting to enter onto a stage or in this case, an auction ring.

So 4-H member Anika Engberson took her turkey for a walk near the small animal barn. But the turkey began to pace a little faster and a little faster so Engberson called out a quick goodbye to catch up to her animal, which was now racing away from her.

For 4-H leaders Randy and Anne Holmstrom, the night marked an end to their children’s involvement in the auction as their youngest son, Peter, entered the ring for a final time. Anne said through their four children they have been doing 4-H auctions for 17 years in Hood River County. Peter graduated from high school this spring and goes off to Oregon State University this fall.

The work of the auction wouldn’t be final without the callers in the ring, the bidders in the stands or the more quiet row of people lined up at tables bordering the action. These one-night accountants work up the numbers to finish the work of tallying up how much 4-H and FFA members earned for their year of hard work. — Sue Ryan

Scorching heat and blistering sun are a familiar part of Fair, but when you step inside the Floral Building that all disappears. Instead you are greeted by the wafting scent of fresh flowers and cool moist air. Sound seems muffled in amongst the floral displays as well; it is just you, the dripping water pipes and the recorded bird song.

At the center of this blissful oasis you will find the elegantly arranged Master Gardeners display. Mossy and green, it seems the perfect addition to the slatted barn. Stick around a while and you may meet its caretaker, Elizabeth Daniel, program assistant for the Central Gorge Chapter of Oregon State University’s Master Gardeners Program.

Daniel said that the Master Gardeners had maintained a strong presence at Fair since 2001; every year they host a new display.

“We’ve tried to do themes with an educational focus,” said Daniel. “One year we had native plants, and another fire safety. We like to focus on different things.”

— Elsie Denton

Outside, children ran to and fro, happy fair goers scarfed down ice cream, and brave souls screamed as rides went round and round.

Yet Pixie sat still, staring straight ahead. He could probably go join in the fun, but he would not last very long before he either shriveled up or got smooshed by someone who thought he was a rock.

Pixie is a frog, a Pixie bullfrog native to Africa to be precise, and, contrary to his name, he is a large frog.

Pixie (so named because the staff of A Walk on the Wild side, the group staffing the Exotic Animal display at the Hood River County Fair, has so many animals they would forget his name if it were any more complicated) is roughly the size of a small child’s head.

According to Walk on the Wild side’s Mike Mills, he can eat anything that is his body size. Pixie is small for his species; his larger relatives can grow to the size of large dinner plates and swallow a duck whole. Pixie might have a hard time eating a duck though; he has an x-shaped scar on his nose where a mouse he was trying to snack on put up a fight before becoming lunch.

While there may have been more interesting animals in the tent, including a Burmese python and an easily distracted Caracal, it was Pixie who probably caused the most people to stop in their tracks. Reactions ranged from “That frog is FAT!” to “That is the funniest-looking frog I have ever seen.”

By and large he just sat there taking in his surroundings and doing his best to look like a large stone. That is until Mary Jane and Emma Laney stopped and peered into the tank. With Emma gazing through the glass, the frog jumped and splayed himself against the inside wall, causing both girls to jump back with a start.

For the most part, passersby were just glad that the frog — who looks like something from a SciFi Channel Original movie with a small digital effect budget — was not in their yards. Good thing too, because he could probably eat a small dog. — Ben McCarty

If any of the contestants in the 2007 Talent Show were nervous, they didn’t let it show. All 13 performed their musical pieces — whether vocal or instrumental — nearly perfectly. Pity the poor judges.

Selections covered a broad spectrum of genres including Broadway (George Gershwin’s “Summertime” chosen by two different contestants and sung completely different ways — bluesy and operatic), country (songs by Martina McBride and the Dixie Chicks), classical (Bach), blues (Etta James), pop/rock (Elton John, Keane, Bonnie Raitt and KT Tunstall) and even an original work (Justin and Tyler Hilton).

The winners — Makenzie Bassham (15 and under) and Sarah Nuss (adult) will go to the State Fair to compete at the state level. This year, those placing second and third will also be allowed to compete at the state level.

— Esther K. Smith

Money poured from Nick Henage’s pockets on stage at the County Fair.

No, the 7-year-old Odell boy wasn’t walking around the midway with holes in his pockets.

But Nick did see 50-cent pieces repeatedly fall (ClankClank!) from his pockets. Godfrey the Magician didn’t let Nick keep even one.

The coins also fell from Nick’s hair, ears, and out his pants and sleeves. With loud clanks the money fell into Godfrey’s metal can.

“Oh, look at this! Did you check there? (ClankClankClank!) Slap your head! (ClankClankClank) See, there’s more!”

Nick’s was the first hand to go up among the kids gathered at the base of the stage, when Godfrey gave one of his nightly presentations of prestidigitation and comedy.

Godfrey, with booming voice and bristling moustache vying for attention, made knots in ropes disappear, metal rings connect and disconnect, and coins, handkerchiefs and even oversized ears appear as if in thin air.

It was standard sleight of hand — Godfrey alluded to the skill and not the “magic” involved — and kids of all ages at it up.

Nick enjoyed his moment as magician’s assistant.

“It was weird at first,” Nick said. “I didn’t know how he was doing it. The weirdest part was when I slapped my head and money came out my ear. I thought, ‘How did he do that?’ ”

But things got “less weird” as he stayed upon stage, Nick said. Asked what he learned, he thought for two seconds and said, “I learned he is a very good magician!”