Good Monday morning! I hope you had a nice weekend. It was a lovely one around here. Fall, for sure and for certain, has settled in and we have been trying our best to enjoy all these autumn days. Here are three things about the weekend (and one thing I would change):
ONE – we went to another fall festival on Saturday. It was not our original destination (and the one I mentioned on Friday as “our favorite”). We were heading out the door when I remembered there was an entrance fee. I thought I should check to not only see the cost of the fee but to also find out if we needed cash. Glad I checked. I could not believe they were charging almost $25 per person. Just to get in. You might think I am cheap but I just could not make wrap my brain around paying fifty dollars for the two of us to walk around the fairgrounds for a craft show. Sure, it was a huge show and there were, no doubt, lots of pretty things to see and ideas to spark my creativity. But, folks. Really. Fifty dollars?? Before I even bought a single thing. (If I had a dollar left over for buying any of the pretty things.)
But we were all dressed up with nowhere to go. Sorta. Then I remembered the small town next to us (literally three miles away not the 47 miles of the aforementioned one) was having their fall day. It is a small town. We were expecting small. Or, at least, somewhat small. But, we were wrong. There were over 150 vendors and about 10 times that amount of people. Goodness but it was crowded. But it was a picture perfect day and we were happy just to walk the streets “window shopping” as it were. Actually, I bought two Christmas presents (and a little something for the house), so I was pretty pleased with myself.
WHAT I WOULD CHANGE – I usually save this for the end but might as well insert it here. The morning was cool. A bit brisk. And what I thought was perfect sweatshirt weather. I put on one of those “cute pumpkin bedecked sweatshirts” that I found in the back of my closet. I thought it was “just perfect” for a fall festival. I was wrong. The day quickly warmed up nicely. Add a couple thousand people and the day quickly became hot. I was sweltering. And a bit miserable, if I am honest. I was so unhappy with that sweatshirt. And, just to seal my negative opinion with my wardrobe choice, I passed someone wearing the exact sweatshirt. She was about 20 years my senior. I quickly felt as old as I did hot. Good-bye pumpkin sweatshirt.
TWO – Back to the weekend highlights. We had a fall harvest day at church yesterday. There was a special speaker for the adults (I am downstairs with the children on Sunday mornings) and, afterwards, we had a chili cook-off. It was called a cook-off, although there never was any voting or choosing of a favorite chili. I dunno. With the chili, there was cornbread, hot dogs, veggie trays…and, of course, dessert. I made a pumpkin poke cake. If you like a sweet dessert, this one is for you. Very easy but incredibly sweet. Not sure I would make this again. Honestly, I did not eat a piece. I simply licked the fork after plating a few pieces to share with the neighbor. It was very pumpkin-y. And very sweet. It was, however, a great day for chili and cornbread!!
THREE – Back to Saturday. After the fall festival, we headed to another favorite outdoor shopping center/venue for dinner. The restaurant had an entire section of “fall favorites” on the menu. Lots of butternut squash dishes. I do love me some butternut squash and had trouble picking just one thing to order. I settled on a yummy fall salad and a bowl of butternut squash soup. Dinner was delish! Our son was also was with us. He spent the day with us. It is so nice having him home. Not sure how long he will be here but I am enjoying it for now.
And, just like that, we are back to Monday. A fresh new week full of possiblities. And, without sounding like a broken record, a week with a beautiful forecast. You can find me outside as often as possible. What does your week look like?? I’m glad you stopped by…and thanks to everyone who had encouraging comments about “Friday with Friends” coming later this week. I’m looking forward to it. Have a great Monday, friends!!
I dressed much too warmly for our day on Sunday as well; it started out cool and we were touring a college so I put on a few layers knowing we’d be outside long enough to tour the campus. A sweater dress, my knee high boots, a decorative scarf, and a jean jacket seemed perfect to start. But, gosh I was so hot by lunch time. The jean jacket had long since been shed and the scarf unwound but I was so happy to get home and change.
Your comment about passing someone older with the same shirt made me smile. I have had that same experience before lol! Thanks for the laugh!!! Also, there’s no way I would have paid that much to go to a festival even if they were giving things away for free! How ridiculous! Glad you found a better option 🙂 It was nice to visit with you today! Hope you have a fantastic week!
You made me giggle out loud about the sweat shirt and seeing someone 20 years older wearing the same thing. I can just picture the scene and your thoughts after being too hot as well. I adored Vera Bradley purses at one time. I taught school and they kept my stuff so organized. I would also buy a bigger bag for all my teacher stuff. I was a wee bit obsessed with each new pattern. We were up at our farm in the country many years ago on a Sunday afternoon at a local restaurant. There must have been a dozen older than me ladies in their and every single one had a Vera Bradley purse. I distinctly remember thinking they had become old lady bags and I lost my fondness for them. I still have a couple and love my larger bags but I can say I haven’t carried one of the purses in ages. The things age can do to us.
I was in the middle of typing a long comment to you and I did some keystroke that erased everything :(. Anyway, this one will be shorter… I´m glad you found an event to go to that was free. Your chili cook off sounds like a fun event. How wonderful to spend time with your son! I hope you get to spend a lot more time with him before his time near you is over. Have a great Tuesday!
I think I’d hesitate spending $25 just to enter a craft show as well! Your next choice sounds perfect.
Too bad about the pumpkin sweatshirt. It sounds so cute. It’s difficult to dress in the fall – chilly in the mornings and warmer later on.
Your church fall festival would be fun to go to. And your pumpkin poke cake also sounds tempting. Unfortunately, sweet things are off the menu for me right now.
Enjoy your fall and chili and all the lovely things that go along with it.
Good Monday to you, dear Jennifer! Your weekend sounds like fun…with the exception of being extremely hot in that pumpkin sweatshirt. And then to see someone else with the same exact shirt…that would have done it for me. 🙂 Or I guess we could look at it as if the other person had good taste (like you).
I made a pasta dish about a year ago that used butternut squash in the sauce. It was amazing!
Our week here is forecast to be mostly overcast and the temperatures seldom out of the 40s and 50s during the day. Good soup weather! 🙂