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Fall, Food, Football…and Freebies!!!

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(My niece)

I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine by staying in the house. So I spend almost all the daylight hours in the open air.
~Nathaniel Hawthorne

In addition to the annual R.I.P. Challenge, impending autumn announces itself around this household in a number of other ways, one being the opening of the fall festival season with Santa-Cali-Gon Days in the nearby city of Independence, Missouri.

Every year on the Friday of Labor Day Weekend one of my favorite events of the year happens. Yes, like all local fairs there are a plethora of dealers selling junk that I have absolutely no interest in. But nestled in amongst the standard cookie cutter “creativity” are a few sellers who have wares that make it worth my while to wander the grounds. But that isn’t what excites me.

“Well, what excites you?”, you might ask. The answer:

Yes! The Parents without Partners booth every year sells the best smoked Turkey legs I have ever had. They are enormous and tender and juicy and each year I get at least one to eat right then and there and one to bring home. I also love fresh cut and fried potato chips:

As does my niece! Smart kid.

The weather was absolutely gorgeous all weekend, allowing us to enjoy being outdoors with a feeling that fall was close around the corner. In fact we had a couple of days where we were able to leave our windows open to the fresh cool air all day, and night, long. It was glorious!

Along with a turkey leg to go, we left the fair with two other yearly staples: kettle corn and cinnamon roasted pecans. YUM!!! There are certain culinary delights that I associate with the autumn, and these are some of my favorites. The great thing about fall festivals is that we have another one in our town in a couple of weeks! Bring on the grub!!!

Fall also brings with it the return of my absolute favorite sport: NFL Football. Sunday evening I grilled out (again, the weather was gorgeous) and the guys of the Hands of Glory (Hellboy reference) Fantasy Football League came together for our 4th annual draft. The beginning of the season is always optimistic. And then the losses start piling up. 🙂 I’m pretty happy with my team this year:

Starters–

QB: Peyton Manning
RB: Chris Johnson
RB: Steven Jackson
WR: Miles Austin
WR: Roddy White
WR: DeSean Jackson
TE: Bret Celek
K: Garrett Hartley
D: Minnesota

Bench–

QB: Eli Manning
RB: Rashard Mendenhall
RB: Matt Forte
WR: Percy Harvin
WR: Mike Sims-Walker
WR: Hakeem Nicks
TE: Owen Daniels

Hopefully The Conqueror Worms will find their way up from the cellar this year to the podium at season’s end. Either way, I’m thrilled to no end that the football season, fantasy and reality, kicks off this Thursday evening with a Saints vs. Vikings matchup. Can’t wait! (Incidentally Chris, I’ve lead the Saints through three undefeated seasons of Madden 11 on X-Box 360 thus far).

And what would the beginning of the fall festival season be without a RIP/Fall Giveaway?

I picked up the fun crow creations and the witch’s boot decoration at Santa-Cali-Gon Days and added a few fun Halloween decorations from one of my favorite people in the world, Lisa Snellings.

I realize that Halloween is a long way away, but I wanted to hold this giveaway now so that I can get these to the winner in plenty of time for use with their seasonal decorating. If you are interested in being included in the drawing, which will take place Friday, September 10th at 11:59 p.m. CST, just include the statement “Gimme the boot” with whatever comment you might leave. Those not interested in the drawing, please feel free to leave your comment without the tag line.

It has been a wonderful first week of the R.I.P. V Challenge. I have finished one book (soon to be reviewed) and am nearly done with a second and have watched a few episodes of Veronica Mars Season 3 for Peril on the Screen. I’ve been enjoying looking at the lists of those who have posted them and am thrilled that so many people are joining in again on the fun this year.

So what about you? What, besides the R.I.P. Challenge and (eventually) changing weather signals the start of the autumnal season for you?

47 thoughts on “Fall, Food, Football…and Freebies!!!”

  1. Woohoo!!! Glad to see Hartley on your team this year, Carl 🙂 If I have to use the phrase “Gimme the boot” here, I can’t think of a better association than with him! His boot sent us into the Superbowl last year!!! And you winning all of those games on Xbox is surely a good sign for us 😉 I’m so pumped about this season!! I have to work for our opener on Thursday, but I will most definitely be bringing my mini tv into work with me which I bought just for Saints games :p

  2. I was JUST looking at Lisa’s ebay store, pining for a poppet. Also, I need to have those crows. I feel like being second in the comments bodes ill for my chances, but gimme the boot. Also, the crows. And the poppets. *crosses fingers, taps wood*

  3. Oh this post just got my giddy juices flowing again!!! I swear if I don’t stop soon with my RIP hyper-ness you really will be giving me the boot!

    But I must thank you for the dose of fall fun…because I needed the smiles. The one and only thing I *don’t* like about fall is about to happen–Annie goes back to school tomorrow and the boys the following day–so I really needed this diversion from my pouting.

    Btw, your niece is soooooo incredibly adorable!!! Somehow I suspect she’s got her uncle Carl wrapped around her little finger, doesn’t she? 😉

  5. Ack. So far no changes in weather here. We’re still way too hot! But it’s supposed to rain all week, so I can at least pretend it’s getting cooler…

    You have the best giveaways, I swear. I rarely enter contests anymore, but I’m entering yours with that gimme a boot thing. 😀

  6. Amanda: It is going to be getting hotter again here this week as well. I’ve learned not to get my hopes up for my perfect weather this early in September. Soon, I hope.

    Richard: As a member of Husker Nation it is all Big 12, until next year that is. And of course it also means NOT getting my hopes up over the KC Chiefs and rooting on teams I like, like the Cowboys and Pats and Saints. Also enjoy the Vikings and the Packers.

    Debi: Maddy is indeed a cutie pie and we all are pretty taken with her. Back to school, eh? That means more work for momma, right? I hope the year goes well for all of you. Is Annie taking classes at the college again this year? Oh, and the hyper-ness is much appreciated.

    Raych: All, the hands of fate pick from wherever. I’ve seen people who commented first win from the ol’ Random Number Generator.

    Chris: I hope he does well for me too. The one thing about kickers in FF is that we change them up often if they aren’t helping us out week to week. I hope your team does well this year. I’m looking forward to watching that matchup Thursday night. I hope it is one for the ages. Sorry you have to work on the big night.

  7. Oooh, Give me the boot! It used to be school starting, but we start so early here in the South—I grew up in Colorado—that school is no longer an indicator of approaching autumn. As cliche as it is, the leaves changing and all the beautiful colors. The air smells different. More crisp. Days are shorter. I missed fall so much when I lived in California. It’s my favorite season.

  8. The leaves are starting to change here, so that is pretty much a fall indicator for me! My mood changes, to be honest. I like the fall and I start reading differently…

  10. No need to give me anything except some of those incredible looking potato chips. That booth would be my very first stop, every year.

    Still working on my RIP challenge post. This will be my first year. Finally caved and am glad I did. 🙂

  11. Melissa: Not sure I could part with any of those…unless you are a too cute for your own good two year old, that is. I’m thankful that every year, for several years now, the same vendors are set up in the same place so I don’t even have to search around for my turkey legs and tater chips. I’m glad you finally caved as well. ha!

    Michelle: Chips taste better, but the boot will certainly travel better.

    Kailana: My reading habits pick up and change a couple of different times during the year and this is definitely one of them. No outward signs of autumn yet, but soon.

    Dana: I love it when the air actually gets that fall scent. Mmmmmmm…. And you are right about school. School starts in the dead of summer nowadays. There almost isn’t a summer for school kids anymore. Although I’m sure parents sometimes wish it was even shorter.

  12. Gimme the boot! teehee! Kicked of the reading challenge by reading a WHOLE BOOK yesterday! zomg!bbq! Odd Thomas, which I’ve been meaning to get around to forever. It was pretty good, better than that terrible Charon/Styx book I read for my first book of the challenge last year. Can’t remember the name right now, but I’m not looking it up because it was so bad, it’s not even worth my time. Ha! Too many irons in the fire this year, so I’m probably not going to blog the challenge as I read, but just know I’m following along and having fun!

  13. Foooooootball! Now that is fall to me! As well as hearty stews, scarves and gloves…oh and gimme the boot 😀 Loving R.I.P. so far!

  14. I love the way you guys call it fall, instead of boring old autumn as us Brits call it. I love the sound of the fairs,they would definitely be up my street.

  15. awwww pictures of poppets…almost and nice as “real poppets”! lol..but not quite hahaha

    those booths look like a fun time walking around and searching for tidbits of gold! ..and the turkey looks yummy too!!! I am about 3/4ths thru my first rip book of Draculas Dossier… I know you, of all people are proud of how I came to like RIP lol…of course I’d be richer by far if I didn’t buy more books ! lol.. I hope fall comes to you soon.. it doesn’t come here until Feb or March *sigh* and just about when I’m loving it.. it’s gone again! ugh.

  16. Deslily: I have to agree with you there. I was drooling over a poppet on Lisa’s ebay site last night. The one reading a copy of The Raven. Ha, I know exactly what you mean, as I bought a couple of things for RIP just before RIP started. Back to the library now for me.

    Vivienne: To be honest I prefer the term autumn myself, I think it is a beautiful word, but fall is the more natural thing to say here, and of course Fall worked with all the other “F” words of the post title. 🙂

    Zee: I cannot wait until it is actually stew and soup and chili weather.

    Stacey: I will and am happy for you that you got through a whole book yesterday and enjoyed it. I probably would’ve finished my current book yesterday if I hadn’t played so many games of Madden 11. 🙂 Ah well, there is plenty of time left for RIP reading AND for football.

  17. OMG, Poppets!! I have never seen this before, but now I’m hooked. I must get some! And I’m really curious about Lisa Snellings collaboration with Peter S. Beagle – which in turn reminds me that it’s time to read The Last Unicorn again, or even better, his book about those ghosts in the graveyard…what was that called? Off to do some research – an activity I often start obsessively doing at this time of year.

    For those poppet prints alone, please do gimme the boot! 🙂

  18. I love those poppets, please give me the boot! Almost done with my first challenge book The Passage. It’s a wonderful read but it gave me a few nightmares. I will have to turn down the AC to simulate fall. We will be lucky if it goes down to the 80’s in South Florida.

  19. Fall = football! My daughter and I have been anxiously awaiting the start of the football season. And of course decorating for Halloween. If you “Gimme the boot” those additions will be perfect additions!

  20. Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday of all so yes! “gimme the boot!!!” I have purchased two sets of melamine skull and bone plates from Target (both Ivory & Black versions) to be delivered sometime this week, and so far that is my only Halloweenie purchase of the season. But, i’m sure there will be more. + Lisa Snellings Poppet! I’ve yet to entice a poppet of my very own to my home, but, surely will one day.

  21. I love Halloween so please, gimme the boot! For me the first signals of fall besides the change of weather are the geese honking as they fly over my house and the brave monarch butterfiles making their way to Mexico. There have happily been lots of butterflies this year.

  23. Logankstewart: I am too at this point, now that they are all gone!!!

    Stefanie: Ah, good one. We get the geese honking overhead as well. The sound and sight always makes me nostalgic for my childhood. I’ve never been able to see, in person, any monarch butterfly migration. I’ve seen it on nature programs and always looks miraculous.

    sgist: Yes, poppets are a must. 🙂 I’m going to have to go look up those Target plates, sounds like they would be right up my alley.

    Amy: Love women who love sports and am glad you are raising your daughter up as a fan.

    Ariel: There you go! Crank up the AC at night, read a scary book under a blanket, and pretend it is fall. That will be fun…until the electric bill comes, of course. 🙂

    Sarah: I believe a Lisa Snellings/Peter S. Beagle book will find its way into the giveaways this year, so keep your eye out.

  24. Gimme the boot to kick off football season! 🙂 I usually participate in a sort of fantasy league with my brother-in-law, but I don’t think we’re in it this year. We’ll just have to look forward to Super Bowl squares, I guess!

    The leaves changing color is what always gets me about fall. Around the middle of August I start seeing the first hints, and my husband always laughs because I’ll yell at the trees that it’s too early! Now that September has begun, so has my grudging acceptance that summer is over. *sigh* I love everything about fall except that it means that winter is that much closer!

  25. Oooh, I love those crows and the work of Lisa Snellings, so please gimme the boot! 🙂 That is, if you send internationally (I live in Norway).

    Fall for me is the leaves changing colours, thick sweaters and warm, autumnal perfumes. And being inside with a book, a cup of tea and my cat.

  26. Gimme the boot! And I can’t wait for football season either. I am a huge fan of all things food and fall. Thanks for the pictures–I now have to go and eat some french fries or chips or something!

  27. Thank you for the reminder of Lisa Snellings’ charming poppets. I’m adding her into my Favorite Shops in Etsy, so I don’t lose track of her again. Yes, please gimme the boot–and if the luck of the draw doesn’t fall to me, at least I know where to find adorable decorations on my own!

  28. Kaizerin: You are very welcome. I’m always happy to talk about Lisa Snellings and bring her to people’s attention/remembrance. She is one of my favorite people out in the creative world.

    Mrs. DeRaps: Just a few more days until kickoff!!! I’m excited that in a couple of weeks I will (hopefully) be able to eat some more of those chips at our local fall festival.

    Marte: I do indeed ship internationally, so you’ll be in the drawing. Your ideas of fall (sans the cat, since I don’t have one) jibe perfectly with my own.

    Carrie: There is this one tree just down the street whose leaves positively glow when they start changing color to a bright yellow-orange but then they fall off way too soon. It is always so disappointing to see that beauty pass so quickly.

    And what, might I ask, is Super Bowl Squares?

  29. Hey Carl, oh buddy, ole pal, gimme that boot!

    I love this season, love it, love it, love it! For all my complaining about football season being here (I love to rib the hubby about it ALWAYS being on the TV) I do love to watch a good football game. Especially when it is either raining or snowing! I love the briskness of the air, the crunch of the leaves, the taste of a good pumpkin pie… And of course all these ripping good books we’re reading! *sigh* I’m so glad it’s finally here!

  30. gimme that boot! and maybe some kettle corn? There was a fest downtown the other weekend and of all the booths–i am ever perusing the food vendors. state fairs are especially dangerous for me. and Oktoberfest, anyone?
    the weather has turned crisp in the mornings making me eager for the changing of the leaves! and well, the coffee shops are serving up the pumpkin lattes, that usually signals the start of Autumn for me.

  31. Gimme that boot because it’s sad I have no Halloween decorations. We are going to be moving in to our new home (first home I’ve ever owned) in October and I’d love these decorations. O…btw, FOOTBALL!!! We are more of a college football crew but I love me some BBQ and football.

  32. Gimme the boot! And the turkey leg. And the chips. And book reviews! I can’t wait to hear what you’ve been reading:)

  34. Susan: I wonder the same thing about everyone who lives in those hot, southwestern states…mostly because I personally can’t stand the heat.

    Jessica: I’ll be throwing some reviews out soon. Just started listening to the audio version of In the Woods by Tana French. Very good!

    Amanda: Congratulations to you, that is wonderful! College football is great as well. Course its been a long time since the Huskers were where they were when I lived in Nebraska, but oh well, I still enjoy the sport.

    L: I wish I liked coffee. It smells so delicious and tastes so foul. Although I do like dark chocolate dipped coffee beans.

    Heather: I hadn’t thought about it, but it is kind of fun watching a game when it is raining or snowing. I also love watching games when it is actually snowing at the game. I informed my wife last night about the fact that Thurs, Sun and Monday would be football on the television days this coming week. She was, of course, thrilled. 😉

  35. Gimme that boot! Congrats on getting Chris Johnson as your RB. hopefully he’ll have another spectacular year for my Titans!

  36. I guess I could technically have joined the “On the screen” portion of your challenge since I have been watching Charmed and Supernatural reruns on TNT lately, oh well.

    Gimme the boot!

  37. Super Bowl Squares is a form of wagering on the score of the Super Bowl. It’s a grid with 0-9 randomly placed on the x and y axis, to represent the last digit of the score for each team. He usually does $5 a square, and randomly places your name in as many squares as you buy (so nobody can pick the score numbers they think will win). Then the score at the end of each quarter determines the winner for that quarter. We won an entire half last year!

  38. Carrie: Oh cool, that sounds like a fun idea. I’ll have to remember that when the Super Bowl rolls around this year. Thanks for letting me know.

    KyleeJ: Yes, and feel free to go ahead and do so. There is no deadline for joining in anything on the RIP V Challenge.

    Melanie: Thanks. I picked first this year. Which means that my team sucked last year! Hopefully it will be better for me this year and you will definitely have me pulling for your Titans all year as well.

  39. Gimme the boot! I don’t think I realized you are in the KC area? is that right? I used to live in LSMO. Came over here to check out what peril level of RIP I need to consider, now I’m distracted…

  40. Care: Yes, I live in Blue Springs actually. You used to be very close! Glad to hear you are joining RIP as well.

  41. Lisa Snellings stuff is interesting…I like.

    A Fall festival would be a fun way to kick off the season, but we do not have that.
    Although, every year there are labor day celebrations, but we never partake because I always work….can’t pass up the time and a half pay.

    Really, for me, the first sign that Fall is around the corner is the start of school, not a fun sign, but one nonetheless. The weather has been in the mid to upper 60’s and sometimes in the mid-70s. That has helped to set the mood, a bit.
    Don’t let that fool you. I am certain will have Indian Summer a few times before the chill really hits.

    Hope you have a fantastic Fall and fantasy football season.

  42. I gotta be honest, I never understood NFL! There seem to be evem more complicated rules than in rugby!!

    Currently pondering RIP V – so in the meantime, gimme the boot!! Enjoy your autumn 😉

  43. Mariel: Sounds like you just need the right teacher. Like I need for cricket! Now there’s a game I don’t understand.

    Ibeeg: I’m so jealous of your temperatures. Although it has been okay here, it isn’t quite that fall-like. Lisa Snellings is interesting because she has this whole part of her work that is these poppets and her creativity with them and then she makes the large, complex, sometimes mechanical art pieces that are amazing as well. And she does some pretty incredible painting too. I discovered her art because of a Neil Gaiman story that was based on one of her pieces and I feel privileged to have been able to converse with her off and on over the years.

  44. I am so envious. All I got this autumn is rain and work.
    I ain’t a football fan (or any sport) much to my family’s regret. But hey tough for them. I’ll take the home chips and the kettle corn (with real butter) any day. Sitting with my knitting or my books while they watch a dumb game on tv lol….

  45. Some pretty darn good games yesterday, Alabama looked very good, Cal and Oregon in the Pac-10, Michigan, Oklahoma. Then today and tomorrow night it’s the pros’ turn, and the Chargers play KC. Go Chargers.

  46. Richard: Yes there were. Nice to see Turner Gil’s Jayhawks pull off the upset over number 15 Georgia Tech. And of course I always love to see Nebraska win, be it over a patsy or a ranked team. Some nice NFL games this weekend as well. Not that I like the Eagles, but I was glad to see them make a game of it with Green Bay. And from my end, go KC! And Go Cowboys tonight!

    twyla: I mix it up and read AND watch the ‘dumb game’. 😉 I generally get a lot of reading and football watching done on Sundays during the season. Love it!

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