Our Neighborhood

This past weekend was filled with good, clean fun and fellowship out here in the country! Saturday we attended a huge annual chili supper of about 150 of our closest neighbors at Doug and Celina's "Dry Branch Ranch." This down-to-earth gathering was filled with people of all ages enjoying a beautiful fall evening. There was a 30 foot table of food covered by a long canopy with a string of light bulbs inside, an enormous pot of chili cooking over a wood fire, and a massive bonfire encircled by hay bales to warm us in the brisk night air. Near the end of the evening, most of the guests piled onto four flatbed trailers for a hayride under the stars. It was breathtaking to see the Milky Way in the night sky, and I even saw a rare shooting star! Our caravan ride ended as fireworks welcomed us down the driveway. Sunday afternoon we headed down the road to Barb and Denny Whittaker's place for a more intimate gathering of our immediate neighbors on Fellowship Road. We enjoyed BBQ fare, roasting marshmallows around the campfire, and getting to know our wonderful new friends. We even met Emma's new babysitter, a lovely HS freshman named Jessie, who lives just around the corner from our house. She thought Emma was the cutest thing and volunteered for the job! Emma enjoyed following 9-year old Olivia around, and we all enjoyed buggy rides with Paul and Topsy.