I am so thankful for this beautiful weather and to be spending the autumn here in Kentucky. It is gorgeous!! Here in Rockcastle county, we enjoyed the weekend...

On Thursday night, 2 housemates and I set up a booth at "Halloween on Main" here in Mt. Vernon. We handed out candy for several hours along with other businesses who also set up on Main St. There were so many kids!! At least 1000....I wonder where they all came from...

On Friday, I drove out to Jackson County to deliver some Christmas boxes to our office there (it's about 1.5 hours away). I also had a meeting there to plan our Teen Retreat that is happening next Saturday. When I got there, I was attacked by swarms of ladybugs. Afterward, I looked it up and they are actually Asian lady beetles which are often referred to as Halloween lady beetles because they swarm homes in October..go figure. Anyway, they're all in my truck cab now. But I did enjoy the drive out to McKee...it was nice to be riding around the curves in my truck with the window down in October. Then, Friday evening, 2 of my housemates and I decided to go to the hometown high school football game (they moved the "Halloween on Main" event to Thursday because of the game!). You all know how I love football! Rockcastle County is doing pretty well this year and this was their last regular season home game. It was cold, but a close game and we had a great time! The best part was the shooting of fireworks at the beginning and close of the game and when the home team scored!! Then we ended Halloween night by eating at the truck stop...fun times!

Saturday our house met up with the volunteer house in McCreary county (south of us on the TN border) in Stearns, KY, to take a ride on the Big South Fork Scenic Railway. The weather was perfect! We took a ride through the hills along the river and saw some old mining towns. We ate lunch at a cute little diner in Stearns...cornbread, catfish, pinto beans (referred to as "soup beans" here), country friend steak, etc....and pie to finish us off! Then some of us drove to Cumberland Falls on the way home. These falls are referred to as the "Niagra of the South". I had driven past the park several times but hadn't actually stopped to see the falls. It was very beautiful....I hope to come back soon to see the moonbow...(if you don't know what this is, I'll let you know later!) Then we got home and I watched Tennessee lose...AGAIN. So much for the Volunteers this year...I think everyone in Knoxville is ready for the basketball season!

Today I went to church and we continued our study on poverty called "Hope Lives." I'm so thankful to be at a church that recognizes our responsibility to help those less fortunate than ourselves...financially and spiritually.

Happy Election Week! I'll be thankful for an end to political campaigning and advertising...how about you?