That Time of Year

 

Yesterday afternoon, I decided it was time to go back to Hickey Farms and see some pumpkins. 

I've missed the weekend events the past two years because we've been traveling during October. 

Yesterday's visit was extra special because I had not seen the new arrangement of all the offerings that the farm promotes on weekends in October. 

My first impression:  much more space for navigating the grounds and a big building which houses a variety of attractive pumpkin displays and other vendor spots. 

This year's first day could not have been prettier or more pleasant. 

I saw a lot of happy faces, did some visiting and took some pictures. 

Hickey Farms will be open every weekend from now until the end of October. 

So, check it out.  

It's a fun and beautiful place to spend some leisure time and maybe even get a good meal. 

I've heard the ribs from the Klondike owner are wonderful.  Plus, the food trucks offer some nice varieties. 

After my Hickey visit, I headed home and finally spotted the roadside dwarfs which have been occupying a spot on a country road. 

Cute little fellas. 

Bill had gone to Trout Creek to cut wood, so I decided to cook up some Swedish meatballs with artisan noodles. 

After sitting down in the living room and digging in to the noodles and meatballs, I was in mid-bite watching a football game when suddenly the doorbell rang.

Have you ever tried to swallow a big thick and long noodle really fast?  I never had but did find that sudden stress can severely disorder the noodle's fast track down one's throat. 

Like the illegal peanut butter sandwich I almost choked on years ago when my mother walked into the house unexpectedly, this fat noodle took on the same reluctance to pass down my throat. 

It would NOT go down, and somebody was standing at the door. 

Eventually, with some extra coaching, I managed to swallow the noodle and stumble to the door amidst three barking dogs. 

When I opened the door, there stood a couple I hadn't seen in years, Jeff and Cheryl Benjamin. 

Turns out they were in town for a wedding, and they happened to be staying with friends just across the field from our house. 

The noodles could wait.  We had visiting and a whole lot of catching up to do. 

So, we sat on the deck gabbing away and reminiscing about teaching times at Sandpoint High where Cheryl taught math,  and I taught English next door.  

We shared lots of other good memories too, including some Seattle Sounders talk, since Cheryl and Jeff's son Ed is a diehard fan, just like Annie. 

Twas a great and truly unexpected surprise and so much fun visiting.  Eventually, Bill arrived home in the midst of Jeff telling a geocaching story. 

By that time, it was getting dark and I still had to bring my horses up from pasture. 

The subject of horse inspired another "small-world" revelation from Jeff.  Seems that during the late 1960s he worked at BruMarBa Arabians near Spokane, both mucking out barns and showing horses, including at the Canadian Nationals in Calgary. 

The BruMarBa ranch, back in those days was one of the premier Arabian farms in the greater Spokane area.

Within seconds, names of famous stallions like Comar Bay Beau and Al-Marah Radames were popping up in give-and-take conversation of the good ol' glory days when Arabians were fetching really high prices and dazzling the world of horse lovers. 

Talk about a trip into the past. 

On that note, I told Jeff that he and Cheryl had better come back to Sandpoint so he could see some of our Arabians.  He may just do that. 

Twas a busy and fun Saturday, to say the least. 

This morning, the air is filled with the longing sounds of baby calves and their moms.  Seems weaning has taken place across the road from us.  Heck, I'll bet Cheryl and Jeff have heard the same chorus over at their friends' house. 

Happy Sunday.  Enjoy the day.