Whatever Wednesday - More Pumpkins - hey it's fall

Fall at the Dallas Arboretum is absolutely beyond spectacular.   Ray was busy calculating the pumpkin count. Over 500 on one building alone.

Our Texas drought has affected  other areas.  Even the arboretum's flower  color is a tad faded. Still lovely,  but you can only water  so  much.  We  needed rain in  October   (hello climate  issues)

Um, pumpkins  galore

Cue the mums.................oh, yeah!

and a sweet statue finale
 

Monday Moments - A bit more State Fair of Texas

October 17th - the iconic Big Tex -  bigger, bolder, badder than ever - Howdy Folks!   So fun

The Hall of State is a gorgeous Art Deco building that we always visit.  They host excellent exhibits.  This year was a card building exhibit.  Sorta wacky.  This dude uses playing cards and builds replicas.  He was an architecture major, but realized his talents lay in cards.   He's making a living!

Here's the Austin, TX state capitol building

Cotton Bowl....football.  This year Texas Longhorns totally destroyed the Oklahoma Sooners

 And here's the dude with a reflection of Ray watching him work on this tower.  He was very precise in the card stacking. 

Don't sneeze! 

Finally Friday - State Fair of Texas (yes it is over)

Thursday October 17, Ray treated me to the Great State Fair of Texas - a late birthday present.  And really we say "Thanks, Dad" because a very old insurance policy came  to light.  We claimed it from dad's estate and voila - dad chipped in funds.   Whatever - it was a grand day.  I did wear my sling (rotator cuff recovery Week 10) due to crowds

Ray wears the boots in the family. 

Had to try a 2024 prize winning fried food and it was crazy tasty good. 

Cotton Candy Bacon on a stick.    Now think about it.... savory,  sweet....bacon.   OMG, it was really tasty. 

The Latina Mundo folks were celebrating  Day of the Dead at the Women's Museum.   Fun!

 Yes,  I wore the sling.  We went here after Pig Races, Stunt Dogs,  Cars, Fletcher Corny Dogs, and more.  The crowds were beyond nuts.  Ray even said after a million years of fair going, he did not remember crowds this big.  I got a tad overwhelmed and called it quits after 5 hours.  Whew!

Whatever Wednesday - Pumpkins and Fall

Has America fallen?   Nah - I doubt it.  We don't know WTF has happened yet.  So let's enjoy the Dallas Arboretum pumpkin fest.  This covers October and  November.   Enjoy!

Misty fern  glen.  Always so pretty

Me with a fake huge armadillo.  No sling.  Week  11  - the shoulder is healing - slowly, but it's all about time.  Many weeks to go

Ray's face at the Pumpkin  Village Saloon - there was no free whiskey offered.  Well,  shucks!

 There were a zillion  pumpkins everywhere.  So amazing and lovely.  As a member, I'll  take  credit!

Tuesday

Monday Moments - Democracy and Vote

 Tomorrow is election day.  Darn.  It's a bit scary, in my opinion.  I'm writing and doing this for my dad (see above from January 2023)  (he passed in May 2024) who could not vote this year.   But after January 6th 2021, my father asked my brother to get the forms to change his voter registration.  He could no longer stomach the antics of the Republican Party.  I am proud of his choice as a Navy veteran and a man of honor. 

We'll see what happens.  Alas, because of so much disruption, we probably will not have an outcome tomorrow night.  And that's sad, ridiculous, and (to me) not America. 

The central tenet of every democracy in the end is trust -  Bill Clinton 1993

We, the people, elect leaders not to rule but to serve - Dwight D. Eisenhower  1953

The first rule of democracy is to distrust all leaders who begin to to believe their own publicity -  Arthur M. Schlesinger, R. 1960    (hello......DJT....ugh)

and finally from Walt Whitman  Song of Myself 1895  Leaves of Grass

I speak the password primeval, I give the sign of democracy

By  God! I will accept nothing which all cannot have their 

counterpart of on the same terms

Good luck all.  We'll see what  happens and I fear for women in particular.  And frankly, the English language, depending on what occurs. 

 

Finally Friday - Ramble into a Weekend

 You know what?  No doubt, your local community puts on "free" events.  That's your tax dollars at work. 

Ray and I took advantage of Bedford Beer and Brats in the Pumpkin  Patch.  This benefited our local library and was a perfect October Saturday. (10/19/24)   Gorgeous weather.  Great music - The Trinity River Ramblers (see pic) - and food trucks, plus beer. 

It was a ten minute drive. Free parking. Free admission.  The goal was entertainment. Partake of food and beer and buy pumpkins.  Win. win.  Nice family event that started at 3 pm.  The band was excellent.  We stayed a bit for the second group, but then headed home.  So handy. 

Support your local community events!