Season of Reflection

Yesterday we awoke to 38 degrees on the big thermometer out on the back patio.  Fearing a frost I had covered 'Rosie' my rosemary plant with an old sheet saved just for this purpose.  I need to dig her up and get her into a good sized pot to come inside for the winter.  It is really nice to have a sprig of fresh rosemary year-round. Rosie goes to my neighbors for the winter when we migrate to FL.  More on that later!
Autumn is a pretty season... also it can be a sad season.  A time reversal as we undo the spring chores.  The garden needs to be put to bed and the flower beds too.  All that summer furniture brought in.  Seems like it is also a time of reflection.. of the passing of another year and remembering other years past.  Mustn't dwell on the past they say but try to look on the good things of yesteryear.

                                                       Grandson Nate and his Farm Stand

This is a memory of a happy harvest time.  Our grandson set up shop on the General Store steps, the owners were Peg and Pete and wonderful people that they were, promoted young entrepreneurs in their endeavors.  For everything there is a season and for everything a purpose under heaven.  It is a sad thing that we no longer have our little General Store.

Going to the fair is a fun treat in autumn.  Thursday was a lovely, crisp day, a day for knee socks and big sweaters.  The fair was good.  Even with so much devastation here in VT this year, many, many people made it to the fair.  The exhibits were great.  Lovely art work and photography.  Quilts and crafts in abundance.  The 700 lb. pumpkin was a sight to behold as well as the 12.6 foot tall sunflower that got the blue ribbon.  The young kids and their animals are always a favorite feature.  They take such great care of their goats, cattle or what ever they have raised. And then there is the fair food !  The aromas !
This year I tried to be 'good' and only sample things on the good-for-you list.  I found a vendor selling baked potatoes, big fat ones hot from the oven with all kinds of toppings.  Filling too.  But I saved room for a big bowl of hot, homemade apple crisp with ice cream. Had a very hard time passing by the spiral cut, deep fried sweet potatoes !  These are the VERY best. Also passed up the VT bar b q ribs.  I did stop to breath in that wonderful spicy aroma though and watch our friends enjoy theirs.  I was too full to have my usual ear of fresh roasted corn dripping with butter.  (Made up for that today as for Sunday dinner we had our fresh corn.)  Listening to Banjo Dan and his group playing great bluegrass was the perfect end to a great day at the World's Fair.  Made it home safely with only two detours.

                                                               Some prize winning goodies

I'm off to walk in the warm, friendly sunshine and scuff through some fallen, dry leaves.  Not much fall foliage yet but lots of fallen leaves.  Have a great fall day wherever you may be.