Indholdsfortegnelse for October - November 2017 i Country

I LOVE RAKING LEAVES. Being outside in the fresh fall air and making piles for my kids to jump in is pure bliss. Every year I try to build the ultimate, monster-sized mound, but my kids can’t seem to wait for me to finish. They dive in as soon as the leaves are knee-high. I don’t mind. Their joy makes the work easy. This issue is a little like those piles—full of color and fun. The latter starts on page 10 with a story from field editor Mandi Wood, who writes about racing her brother to the top of Georgia’s highest peak. It’s a sweet memory that hopefully inspires you to head outside and feel the leaves crunching under your feet. For a more whimsical look at the season,…

When I was planning my wedding, I knew exactly who I wanted to be my flower girl. I love my younger cousins, but I chose a woman who has been married for over 50 years, raised four kids and cared for 11 grandkids and eight great-grandkids. I chose Margie Miller, my grandmother. What a legacy Maw Maw has given us. She’s a one-of-a-kind, special edition woman who can sew, cook, clean, garden, farm, feed chickens, chase children and smile at the same time. I wanted that strong, faithful woman to lead me down the aisle at my wedding. She didn’t believe me when I asked her to be my flower girl! My husband-to-be, Chris, loves his grandparents as much as I love mine, so I asked his granny, Patsy Chatham,…

A few years ago, we were invited to a Thanksgiving dinner with a twist. The idea was to prepare and enjoy a festive meal like the one the Pilgrims had in 1621. The rules were simple: no buying items for this meal. We could bring things we already had on hand, such as canned goods or food from the garden, or we could barter for what we wanted to bring. No matter what we brought, each dish would have a story. We were fortunate; a friend had given us a few ducks that were now in the freezer. I didn’t know how to cook them but soon poked my nose into a series of cookbooks. It was amazing when we finally arrived, in early afternoon that Thanksgiving Day, at a…

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Want to meet fellow readers who love the country, too? At facebook.com/countrymagazine follow our page and continue the conversation we’ve started here. You’ll see posts from other readers sharing the beauty of the country plus features like: “It’s a hog’s life, but somebody has to do it.”Submitted on Facebook by Erin York If Only They Could Talk What do you think Meeny, Miny and Moe would say if they could talk? Thank you, Tawny Nelson, for sharing this funny photo! Reader Daniel Andrade of Hitchcock, Texas, posted this shot he took in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. He wrote: “The best hike in Texas is coincidentally the tallest peak in Texas. These views will take your breath away.”…

BAILEY, MY 3-YEAR-OLD granddaughter, loves to be outside. Everything she sees is a new adventure. She is enjoying fall, taking walks in the park and around her neighborhood. I love exploring with Bailey, seeing how excited she is to learn about the good earth as she picks up a pretty rock or spots a bird nest. As we walk along, I use an association technique to teach her the names of things. When Bailey stops to pick up a fallen red or yellow leaf, I tell her it's fall because the leaves have fallen. Now, when she sees a leaf on the ground, she says it is fall. When she sees a grasshopper on the grass, I tell her that grasshoppers are so named because they are usually found on…

MY HOMETOWN of Centreville is a delightful village in rural southwest Michigan with around 1,400 residents. While visiting the area, you will most likely spot a horse and buggy or two, as there is a sizable Amish population. A popular spot with locals is Yoder’s Country Market. It’s a wonderful place to shop and eat lots and lots of tasty homemade goodies! If you really want to know how the Amish shop, then you will want to go to Millers Discount Store just east of Centreville. It’s a little out of the way, but definitely worth the trip. Note that it is closed on Sundays. The store is lit with gas lanterns, and most grocery items can be purchased in bulk. Thomas W. Langley is credited as Centreville’s founder. The…

SPRING FORWARD The season of renewal is welcome across the country, with colorful blooms, nesting birds, baby animals and lush greenery. Show us why you love spring with stories and photos of seasonal activities such as planting, collecting Easter eggs and looking for wildflowers. GOOD NEIGHBORS Having someone you can always count on is a blessing. Has a special neighbor, friend or co-worker made a difference in your life? Give your good Samaritan the recognition they deserve by sending us photos and telling a story about them. MAKE US LAUGH Country life produces its fair share of sidesplitting moments. Here at Country and Country Extra, we love nothing more than a good laugh. Share your silliest stories and jokes, and send us pictures of the amusing antics and quirky sights…

Fall in the Pacific Northwest is a series of climatic ups and downs. Abrupt changes in temperatures inspire trees and critters to sudden activity, only to find a week of Indian summer is just around the corner. Then it all happens again. At Pattison Lake in Lacey, Washington, the water adds chills and humidity to the air and makes a spectacle for the eye. Eerie fogs, whispering pines and sunrises testify to the joy of God’s creation. This year He added spider webs and inspired a poem. The itsy bitsy spider Ignored the water spout, Picked out a fence And laid her webs about. Down came the cold And froze up all her string. So the itsy bitsy spider Went south until the spring.…

Oct./Nov. 2017 Days turn crisp, nights are cool and the harvest is in. Time to celebrate our blessings. SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1 Meander through the world’s largest corn maze at Richardson Farm in Spring Grove, Illinois. richardsonadventurefarm.com October 5 This full moon is named the Hunter’s Moon. For Native Americans, it signaled the start of the winter hunt. “I love finding red, orange and yellow leaves on the ground. The scarecrows seem to come alive with the cool air and the arrival of fall.” Dana Foreman Old Fort, North Carolina Americans ate 400 million pounds of cranberries last year, so say thanks by posting a photo of your favorite farmer. facebook.com/ countrymagazine October 15 Around now, bears are doing the “fall shuffle,” roaming the forest in search…

A few years ago, Darla Hoff painted a pumpkin face onto a round straw bale to advertise her U-pick pumpkin patch at Al and Karen Goldman’s farm in Idaho Falls. While Darla has stopped growing pumpkins, the annual tradition of straw bale art lives on at the farm and has grown to involve friends and neighbors. Once Darla comes up with an idea, the team goes to work. Past creations have included an owl, Minions, dueling tractors, Thomas the Tank Engine and a teddy bear. The impressive public art has become quite an attraction. “People who drive by seem to get a kick out of it,” Al says. When Darla, her daughter Savannah, and Darla’s sister DeAnne Hoots painted Minion faces on three of the round straw bales, these bright…

GOLD RUSH  Colorado’s glowing foliage caught my eye in a meadow of the San Juan National Forest, between the historic mining towns of Durango and Silverton. ARNOLD BAUMFAK St. Helens, Oregon LITTLE LUMBERJACK  Our son, Makai, helped Daddy collect firewood during our last family camping trip before Utah’s American Fork Canyon closed for the winter. ANNIE THOMSON Provo, Utah TOE-TAPPING TUNES  During Oktoberfest in Chattanooga, musicians Mark Griffin Jr. and Arron Ramey entertained everyone with some down-home country songs. DONNA MULLINS Ooltewah, Tennessee WONDER IN THE WOODS  Colorful leaves perfectly framed the Glade Creek Grist Mill at Babcock State Park in West Virginia. RAYMOND MASSEY Sherburne, New York TRICK OR TREAT  My grandsons Cy, Chapman and Cooper dressed up as the Lion, the Tin Man and…