A Big Thanks!

I asked my niece, Audrey, who designed the original header for my blog when I started it, that I maybe would like to do a little fallish makeover. And WOW! She designed this one and it took my breath away. Thanks you, Audrey, for the very creative, awesome, and beautiful header...it is perfect!
You are amazing!

Preparing for the changing weather...

As most of you know, I love the fall season and its beauty that changes our world. But it does bring with it much colder weather and waking up most mornings to heavy frost. Silly as it may seem, I enjoy the Saturday we get around to "winterizing" the yard. We pick what's left from the garden to finish canning or put in storage. Dale always grows lots of beans and he's put up some bottles of our favorite...dill beans.

Our pumpkins and squash didn't do that well, but we've already enjoyed some. A favorite recipe Dale cooks is his zuchinni lasagna, with the marinara sauce he cans from the tomatoes. What a guy!! These last smaller ones I like to decorate with. (Check out Collette's blog, she has posted some great decorating projects she did with pumkins.)

We put all the garden stakes, coverings, and tools in the shed and then gather up the hoses. We stretch the hoses down the slope so that all the water will drain out and not freeze, which will split the hose.We are glad that we have had some rain so that we don't have to water anymore. Our irrigation water has been shut off now for the season. Most of my flowers protected under the tree in the front yard stay so pretty through the fall and winter. And with the cooler weather and some rain, they really flourish better now than they to in the hot summer! Dale planted a rhubarb plant this year for the first time. Our neighbor usually gives us plenty, but he wanted some of his own. The first year produces few shoots, but we picked enough for my favorite recipe... rhubarb cobbler. It is my Mother's recipe and my mouth just waters as I think about making it. I have always loved her cobbler and think of her so much when I make it. And served warm with cream, it really is a great fall treat. Happy fall to everyone and hope you all are enjoying this season with all its splendor.

Oktoberfest Weekend

This weekend - Friday and Saturday - October 5th and 6th - brought the annual Oktoberfest celebration held in down town Twin Falls. The weather was blustery and rainy and cold! I braved the elements on Friday and cheerfully greeted what few people who came out in the rain during the morning hours to check things out. Even though many booths closed up until late afternoon, I stayed and actually sold a few bottles. A bright spot of the day was when Mary brought the kids to check on Grandma. They enjoyed climbing around the fountain by our booth and sharing some crackers and cheese. Thanks for coming to see me in the cold and for sharing your blanket with me.

As the day wore on, the rain stopped intermittantly and more people came out. Dale joined me in the early evening and we had fun talking to people, selling our sauce and listening to the different local bands entertain by the fountain. Cameron and Mary came back with the kids. Bailee and Braden danced with us to the music and enjoyed some of the booths further down the street that featured fun things for kids. Our booth was located right next to the beer and brautworst booth, so plenty of action came our way as the night wore on! We stuck it out until 10pm when the vendors closed.

Saturday was a horrible day, weather wise...no rain, but the wind was very strong with heavy gusts. I bundled up pretty good, not really making a fashion statement, but had a hard time keeping warm. Dale took cases of our sauce to Rudy's, a cooking specialty store down town, that features our sauce and arranged for an in-store demonstration on the last Saturday of October. While he was gone, the wind actually upended our booth. I was barely able to catch one side and to hold it back down. It surprised me because we have very heavy weights hanging down on all sides. We joked with the few people that stayed around when they asked how we were doing, saying we were "holding up our end...literally" because when the wind became so strong, Dale had to stand and hold the booth on one end so that it wouldn't collaspe.

When the wind became stronger and the gusts became more frequent, we had to pack up and leave a few hours early. It actually bent some of the poles. But all in all, I had a good time inspite of the chills and wind burn on my face. Oktoberfest had different sponsors this year and there were only half the vendors there compared to last year. And the weather discouraged lots of people from coming out. But, we were invited to go to the big Craft Show held in the expo center at the College of Southern Idaho the first weekend in November and to also participate in the big finale celebration of the Twin Falls Farmer's Market the end of the month. Even though it was a difficult show, I enjoyed talking to people and was "warmed" when those that came took the time to taste and buy our sauce!