Our Botanical Gardens had a Chunkin’ Pumpkin event this week.† They had a trebuchet and everyone got a pumpkin to ‘launch’.† It sounded fun so off we set. When we got inside I had realized I had forgotten my money!† Kei said to run back and get it and she would wait ‘on the hill’.

Kei picked out just the right pumpkin.

Then we waited on Suz and kids.† We didn’t want to chunk without them!

There was a guy dressed in period clothes in the field.† The goal was to smash the pumpkin into his body, preferably his head I think!

We stood and watched kid after kid launch their pumpkins.† Some came really close.† Emily and Zach both went and then it was Kei’s turn. They placed the pumpkin on the trebuchet and she pulled the cord.

Her pumpkin went STRAIGHT UP!† And…STRAIGHT DOWN! I was so surprised I didn’t even get a picture.† It almost took out the crowd!!† Kei was a bit surprised too!† What happened was a screw flew off and broke the arm of the trebuchet.† It was funny but it could have been people with bruised bodies and pumpkin guts on their heads!

After the chunking we went to watch a fencing exhibition.† On the way Kei had to pose with a woman dressed up as Susan from Narnia.

Emily and I sat and oohed and aahed over the boots.† We both love us some leather medieval boots!† I was sitting there and someone sat beside me.† It was Tonya who has been my ‘online’ friend for over a year but I have never met face to face.† I was so excited!!!† She is as awesome as I knew she would be.† I first discovered her because her family were in North Alabama and they were an RVing family.† That is something I have always wanted to do!† I followed her adventures for months and then we became FB friends.† Her family has actually moved into a house now.† Her blog, Live the Adventure, is awesome and worth checking out.† I still can’t believe she just came and sat down.† I would have recognized her from her pictures.† Isn’t the internet just the coolest thing?

Kei found a rock yesterday that was too awesome.† A† heart rock.

Today we went to see “Little Women”.† It was being performed at the Fine Arts Center in a town near us.† Before we left I had to take a couple of pictures of Kei in our yard.† See the pumpkin next to her.† Well we think it is a pumpkin, it is pink!† It was so unusual we had to buy it.

When we got there they had pushed the time forward an hour so we set off to wander around downtown.† It is such a sweet little town.† We love exploring in the older parts of towns.† She wanted to go into every shop.† At one point I was like….”Umm Kei that is a tanning salon”.

The play was great!† We both enjoyed it so much.

After the play our dear friend Shane came out to talk to us.† He was Laurie and he was magnificent!

What a great week.† October is such an awesome month.† There are so many festivals and events going on.† We try to cram everything into the Fall before it gets so cold and I HIBERNATE!

This weekend is supposed to be a final hurrah to summer with temps around 90∞.† Enjoy.

All those golden autumn days the sky was full of wings. Wings beating low over the blue water of Silver Lake, wings beating high in the blue air far above it . . . bearing them all away to the green fields in the South.
– Laura Ingalls Wilder