The Fair and tasty dessert

We went to the fair this week with Katie and her boyfriend, Brad, because Katie had free tickets. While I pretty much grew up doing the fair "thing" ( I was WAY into 4-H), I had forgotten that it was pretty much the most ghetto place you could go. There are some creepy people running those rides and games! That being said, the kids had a great time. The livestock building had a bunch of stuff for kids to do and unusual animals to see, and we had a good time just getting out and wandering around for a while. While we refused to pay for over-priced rides that looked like they were held together with wire and were literally supported on boards, we did let Hunter ride the Carosel once. I figured even if it broke, all that would happen is that it would just stop and we would get a refund. He picked the tiger to ride and grinned his head off the whole time and waved every time he went around.

riding a tractor
Playing in corn kernals.

Milking a fake cow.

Delighted with his tiger.
Ainsley with Brad, whom she really likes...a LOT.

Katie and I had a good time remembering all the 4-H things we used to do. We raised pigs, had a couple beef cows, raised a bunch of show rabbits and had a breeding line, a million chickens, along with cats, a dog, a hamster, and lots of fish. I remember that I won county in arts and crafts and had a million things entered. I still have all of my ribbons and trophies which fill most of a box in the attic (why the heck am I holding on to them?). I loved 4-H! It gave me a lot of my start in getting the "bug" to create and be crafty. I also remember the down-side. How much I hated spending an hour every night feeding the animals and mucking out pens. I spent hours with my animals working on showmanship. It paid off with my rabbits, but my pigs never cooperated and were the ones squealing around the edges of the enclosure trying to knock the judge over. I just remember that when that was over I was SO ready to auction off my pig I was so mad at it! I must be a country girl, because in our house, my husband comes and gets ME to kill the spiders. He won't touch them.

The weather also cooled down this week and I made my favorite pumpkin fall dessert. While it might not look like much from the picture, the taste of it ought to be illegal! Also, for the fact that it contains a cup of sugar in the mix and then a whole cup of butter dumped over the top. But really the top is so crunchy, sweet and buttery, and that it's just a whole pan of goodnes. Being a family favorite, it brings back a lot of good family memories. Katie and I just got a craving for it. Trust me. Take this to a gathering and there won't be any left over!

I had Katie over to help me eat it and then we went and watched the amazing series on Planet Earth. Fabulous photos and film of nature and animals. You just have to say, "God, you did really good!" And then sit in awe at what He made. As amazed you are at the wonders of this earth, you also see how sadly it is getting misused and how even nature displays that there is something flawed and wrong. I wish I could have seen it when God first created it, in all that it was meant to be.

For those of you who like recipes, I am including the recipe here (should you decide to make something really tasty, but not all that good for you):

Pumpkin Cake

1 can (large) pumpkin

1 13oz. can of evaporated milk

4 eggs

4 tsps pumpkin spices (or same as you put in your pies)

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

**********

1 cup melted butter

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup chopped nuts (I use walnuts)

Blend first six ingrediants. Beat well. Pour into 9x13 inch GREASED pan. Sprinkle one box of dry yellow cake mix evenly over the top. Melt butter and pour evenly over the top of the cake mix. Sprinkle nuts over top. Bake approximately 60 minutes at 325 degrees. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream. Yum, yum!