It's Beginning to Look at Lot Like...

Springtime!  No, it doesn't look like Christmas, nor does it feel like Christmas.  It's almost 79 degrees outside.  I'm wearing a T-shirt and getting ready to go bathe my horse.  Definitely not Christmasy!

This morning we went to a festival called Christmas Around Sabina.  It is a beautiful little farming community about a half-hour from here.  My DIL's family is from that area.  It is not your typical festival where several blocks are closed off with booths in the streets for vendors.  In fact, driving through town, it is hard to notice there is a festival except for the heavy traffic, many parked cars, and people carrying goodies everywhere.

Her family used to set up 'Grandma's Country Kitchen' in her aunt's house, but this year moved it into Kelly's Cafe.  A relative owns the cafe, and, since they didn't have enough employees to work the festival, they weren't going to be open through the festival.  So they decided to move the 'kitchen' to the cafe.

This old brain of mine forgot to pull the camera out of my purse... sorry, no pics!

Her family makes gift items and baked goods to sell, as well as a carry-out meal featuring (of course) Grandma's homemade noodles.  They had all kinds of canned goods, including watermelon rind pickles!  There were crocheted dishcloths and pivoting flag poles... but mostly sweets!  I bought a mini-loaf of Amish Friendship Bread and one of chocolate zucchini bread.  I also bought a cake made with fruit cocktail and coconut.  Yum!  Mr J thought some of the stuff looked too rich for him, so he settled for a pecan pie... Does that even make sense?  Maybe he doesn't remember how rich those are.

I sure hope I can get my laptop close enough for my arms to reach after eating all that!  If not, it was nice knowin' ya...

A Day Off the Farm

Today, our church sponsored Community Fest. We like to do fun things to involve the neighborhood kids.  I promised that Mr J and I would bring a couple of horses out for the event.

Someday, when I'm filthy stinking rich, I'll have one of those fancy trailers with living quarters up front.  Until then, I'll settle for the stock trailer.  Here's the rig, ready and waiting...

 

They had lots of inflatable play things.

Simulation only... not a REAL pirate ship.

I wish I had a picture of the one out front.  I didn't see it until we were leaving.  The kids were having a blast on it!  It looked like there was something in the middle to stand on, and you knocked your opponent off into the pit.  Something like this...

Someone had a couple of wagons hooked up for a hay ride around the fields.

Nekoda and Buddy were looking good and on their best behavior for the event!

They didn't like having to stay in their stalls for an hour beforehand...

I brushed them out and detangled their manes.  I wasn't about to let them out to roll!

They weren't the only horses there...

  There were a couple of minis on hand for the kids to pet.

There was even a pony pulling a cart!  The pony wasn't thrilled to hook up!

I had a perfect view of the action from under the nose of the horse trailer.

The kids had a blast.  It was cold and my joints are complaining now.  I'll probably be sore tomorrow from lifting all the big kids up into the saddle, but it was worth it.  I've never seen so many big smiles in one day!