October 30, 2007

• …fall has really arrived!

                                  

  We had our first frost yesterday morning. When we awoke, the horse pasture below our house was covered with white, and now the bell pepper and tomato plants are really and truly finished. The clover in the yard has wilted, and the impatiens and periwinkle that were still trying to bloom their little heads off have given up and gone to sleep.

                               

  We had a houseful over the weekend, with both daughters and the three grands here. It was kind of wild and crazy, with two two-year-olds holding forth, each one trying to outdo the other in volume and intensity. But it was pure fun, and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

  

  (left, the scavenger hunt around an old barn; right, one of the two hay wagons.)

  The weekend was special for two reasons. First, we have a fall gathering every year to celebrate the season, and we call it Fire on the Mountain. A hayride to a high place on the farm, a bonfire for roasting hot dogs and marshmallows, and stories told around the fire are the highlights. This was the perfect weekend for it. After a week filled with dreary, cold, misty days, Saturday dawned clear and still. And the moon that rose over the eastern evening horizon that evening was almost completely round and perfect and shed plenty of light for our get-together. It was just cold enough to warrant jackets and caps and warm enough to be tolerable while riding on a hay wagon. The weather couldn’t have been nicer. What tastes better than a hot dog cooked out over an open fire? The stories were delightful, and the company was the very best…a perfect evening all around.

                                     

  (Above, Howard and Virginia Plaster of Almartha, MO)

  And second, some dear neighbors celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with an open house at our volunteer fire department. It was the perfect location because Howard was the president of the board for many, many years and was the driving force in building our little department into a strong and effective force in the community.

  The couple’s only son, Glen, hosted the event. Glen lost his wife, Kathy, to cancer a while back, and we all grieved with him. Glen and Kathy had one son, a beautiful handicapped little boy, who died at the age of three. Glen’s only remaining family consisted of his parents.

  Susan, another neighbor and mother of three children, was divorced several years ago when her husband left them. Susan has struggled to maintain a good home for her three dear ones and has worked two jobs sometimes to make ends meet, but always has tried to keep her children’s interests first, even when their dad failed to provide court-ordered support.

  At the anniversary party, Howard was radiant when he announced Glen and Susan are to be married! Another cause for celebration!! This couple will gain grandchildren in their golden years, and Glen and Susan will have a new chance at love and marriage. We are all cheering for them and offering our support as they blend their families into one.

  I feel just full to the brim with the happiness of the weekend. Hope you all had a great one, too!

  (Here’s one thing I always serve at Fire on the Mountain….and it’s NOT for you if you’re worried about calories or fat grams! Someone asked for it so here it is:

  Scrumptious Dip

  1 pound ground sausage (or ground beef)

  1 small onion, diced

  garlic, salt and pepper to taste

  1 teaspoon chili powder

  1 can original Rotel tomatoes and green chilies

  1 can yellow hominy, drained

  1 pound velveeta cheese, cubed

  Brown meat with onion, garlic, salt and pepper until no longer pink. Add chili powder, can of tomatoes and chilies, hominy and cheese and continue cooking over low heat until cheese is melted and dip is hot and bubbly. Serve warm with tortilla chips or other dippers.

  I guarantee you will come home with an empty bowl!

  • 10:24 am
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