Bonfires

Autumn Fires

by Robert Louis Stevenson

(from A Child's Garden of Verses, 1885)

In the other gardens  And all up the vale, From the autumn bonfires  See the smoke trail! Pleasant summer over  And all the summer flowers,The red fire blazes,  The gray smoke towers. Sing a song of seasons!  Something bright in all! Flowers in the summer,  

Fires in the fall!

I cannot say enough about the fun I had this weekend. It was seriously the most picture perfect weekend. My entire family celebrated Fall, non-stop. If you are currently doubting your abilities to celebrate Fall....don't! A Fall-filled weekend is as easy as finding an hour to spare. On a budget, we were able to visit a corn maze, tour an outdoor market, warm-up by a bonfire, toast a marshmallow, carve a pumpkin, and roast pumpkin seeds - all within 48 hours and an estimated $24 (fair note: we already had our pumpkins and carving kits, which helped cut cost. We bought carving kits two years ago, for a great price, and still have them. In fact, we only spent money on the corn maze...A-MAZE-ING...Okay that was CORN-Y...I'll stop...). Feeling great that No. 3, 7, 8, 13, and No. 17 on the MUST DO list were successfully enjoyed! 

The corn maze was quite the adventure, not to mention my sister inevitably makes any trip a laugh-til-you-cry event. The farm we went to has a tractor/barrel ride (difficult to explain, but promise you, you would love it), corn cannons, bounce-thingy, pig races, hay rides, and haunted hay rides. It's the second year we have gone and it's still a ball! 

On Saturday, Dad, BK and MK went hunting, Trent watched football, and mom and I went to the outdoor Market on the Square. We reunited at lunch for food and football..and more food. Too much food. Sunday, after church, we practiced shooting the bow, helped mom get ready for an upcoming craft show, and prepped our pumpkins for carving. We usually have contests in these creative situations; however, we all opted to have no competition, until BK felt she had a brilliant idea. Then it was a competition and the neighbors were called. This would be the fourth year our neighbors have contributed to judging our friendly, family competitions - usually it's with Easter eggs though. BK won this one...until next year! Can you guess which pumpkin is hers?

We ended the night with a bonfire, roasted pumpkin seeds and a movie. Monday came too quickly.