A Fall Festival and Hodgepodge

This opening snapshot won't win any photography awards; I know that. It's just a homey illustration of life at my house. 

This cutting was just a sweet little Knockout rose bud when I snipped it yesterday but this morning it popped out into all its glory. Without a bud vase I resorted to one of my glass measuring cups.

While Gary mows and edges the lawn, and trims our bushes and trees, I have given myself the assignments of pulling weeds from the rock beds and taming the roses so the thorny branches don't lean out over the sidewalk that leads to our front door. 

This past weekend our +55 community had its annual fall festival. Over the past 7 years, it's grown in size and content. Some 125 vendors pitched tents or trucks under the towering oak trees in and around the buildings that house our community's ball room, business offices, hobby and other meeting rooms, the spa, the two swimming pools, and the athletic courts and field. 

The vendors represent many businesses such as home and landscape improvements, Medicare and financial consultants, and our personal favorite: the dental office that gives out FREE generous slices of pie! Pre-sliced in a paper dish with a fork, the choices are pumpkin, apple, and pecan. Gary chose the pumpkin and I got the apple. 

For insurance reasons, neither of us use this dentist but the pie is offered to all and we don't turn down free pie!!

Other tents represented crafts, skin care products, at least one locally-produced podcast, politics, and more businesses than I can remember. Most, if not all, were aimed at enhancing senior life.

Live music featured tunes familiar to our generation's preferences, stirring up pleasant memories from our younger days. (I even heard Gary whistling one of them on our way home.)

I did not count them but it was advertised there would be about 12 food trucks. (that's quite a thing these days, isn't it?!) We did not get anything to eat since we had just enjoyed the FREE slices of pie.

Up until this year, the powers-that-be have encouraged the different neighborhoods in our retirement community to create Halloween displays in one of the prominent, shaded, grassy medians near the guard gate. That did not seem to be the case this year (maybe the scarecrows were too threatening for our gatekeepers??), but there were just a few displays in the festival area.

I had to take this picture due to its significance to Gary and me. You probably can't even begin to guess why it's so meaningful. 

A mutual friend introduced us to each other in this parking lot on Veterans Day. That morning our community (which has a lot of Veterans) was having a flag raising ceremony. Our mutual friend did her best to ensure we both would be attending while neither of us suspected her scheme.

This picture was taken during the ceremony by our friend's husband. I am in the blue on the left, our match-making mutual friend is in the long white sweater, and Gary is on the right. 😉 To be noted, this was probably the only time another woman has been between the two of us after we met! 🤭 ❤️ Not long after this we had our first date. So, yes, this picture of the parking lot is special!

Returning to the story of today's fall festival, management's announcements warned that parking would be tight. We rode our bikes to the event, locking our vehicles and helmets to a fence and then spent a hour or so walking through it all. I think we saw everything but due to weaving in and out through the crowds, I'm not entirely sure. 

Conversations with friends along the way were pleasant and the day's weather was absolutely perfect shirt-sleeve weather, plenty of sunshine, and a gentle breeze that kept things moving. Neither of us bought anything, but one of the vendors gave me a freebie bag in which I carried a few business cards picked up along the way, and this: 

a little free advertising for Humana

My Medicare counselor that I've used for seven years was handing out these chip clips that look like teeth. Isn't this fun?!

We did not get our lunch at the festival because wanted to grill our own burgers at home. Gary did the cooking while I helped to set the table, which is our usual way of doing things around here.

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Today I'm answering Joyce's Hodgepodge questions. Since this post is already pretty long, I'll make (most of) my responses brief.

Hodgepodge Questions for Oct 22

http://www.fromthissideofthepond.com/2025/10/hodgepodge-questions-volume-625.html

1. What do you like most about your family? I am grateful for the ones who are still living this side of heaven and thank the Lord for the influence of those I'll see in eternity.

2. What's something nice that's happened to you recently? 

October has been a busy month for both of us with the routine annual medical tests and appointments but we are doing well. That is never to be taken for granted. 

3. Do you like the color orange? Besides a pumpkin and an actual orange, what's something orange you love? baked sweet potatoes

Sister and her hubby always have a huge crop of pumpkins from their garden. They are selling them now at $1 each, but if you can wait until November 1st, they will be FREE!!!

4.  What's something you have now you couldn't have imagined having five years ago? How does that make you feel? What's possible now because of it? 

It was five years ago this weekend when my late husband (of 50 years) and I came down with COVID. I survived with a relatively mild case while Tom did not. At that time I had no idea that I would be blessed with a wonderful second marriage. The Lord's protection, provision, and generous blessings have strengthened my faith in Him.

5. Let's wrap this one up with an October this or that:

Pumpkin bread or apple cider donut?

please don't make me choose! I like both!

Cozy sweater or cozy hoodie?

cozy hoodie because that hood against my neck and the top of my back adds more warmth.

Apple picking or pumpkin picking?

Neither. I prefer to buy apples at the grocery store and get my pumpkin in a can.

A scary movie or Hallmark movie?

Hallmark. I'm definitely not a scary/horror movie gal.

Hay ride of corn maze?

Hay ride.

Twinkle lights or candles?

Twinkle lights are safer (no open flame)

Autumn hike or bonfire?

Both! A bonfire after the hike with hot dogs and s'mores!

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Many Bible verse were my lifeline during the worst days of grief. One that stands out perhaps the most is this:

So do not fear,

for I am with you:

do not be dismayed,

for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with 

my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

Until next time, grace and peace.