Playing Dress Up

When my oldest daughter started kindergarten her teacher told me "Emily has a spinning mind".  I was very proud of her imagination.  She is now a college professor of nursing practices with a Phd. which isn't where I thought she would be, but there we go. 

Meanwhile let's talk about my spinning mind and dress up.  

I have a milestone birthday coming up and my best friend since high school found a neighboring community is turning their downtown into a Bridgerton knockoff for several hours complete with harpists and a tea.  It coincides with my birthday and she has bought us tickets. After conversation we have decided to dress in Regency wear although we are not competing in the costume contest.  I have ordered this outfit (it didn't come with the hat). It actually fits me without hemming.  I do look more fluffy then this lovely young girl, but the gloves fit my arms so I couldn't ask for more. 

A nearby city has an annual event they call a "Witches Walk".  Last year they had 15,000 spectators and participants - grown women in witches costumes. 750 witches participated in the witches dance (you study Facebook videos for weeks prior) and there were 950 in the costume contest. It is four hours of dances, parades, contests, concerts and more. There are vendors, and restaurants with themed meals and bars with themed drinks. It is pretty crazy. 

The tickets for the Witches Walk are $45 and this enters you in a $5000 raffle, $200 costume prizes plus other prizes and admissions.  Last year the Walk raised tens of thousands of dollars which were donated to Meals on Wheels, After School Programing, Kiwanis Club Literacy Program, and other programs benefiting senior citizens and youth. Spectators can attend without a ticket, but will not be admitted to all events. If you are interested in more photos and videos, check here.

https://www.sanduskywitcheswalk.com/

AND for the second year, my own little town is copying the event on the first weekend in October, calling it "Witches Wander" in the downtown on a Saturday night.  We aren't dancing or having a concert, but for $21 we can dress up, shop at all the local stores who will remain open with special events for us, the downtown restaurants and bars will have specials, there are all kinds of contests and we get a fancy swag bag.  Instead of thousands, they are only selling 200 tickets. 

My husband and I drove through town last year and saw everyone having such a good time and I decided I would participate this year. And I talked my youngest daughter into coming with me. 

I have been gathering options for my dress up. 

I have another top option on order.

The skirt is slated for double duty. 

I am dressing up for some special birthday photos! My favorite photographer has a session reserved during my birthday week for one of those photo sessions with a sign board and a cake that little children have.  Mine will be slightly silly (okay, major silliness) and the skirt is part of the costume along with my pink cowboy boots. And the boots might make it to the Witches Wander, too.  

So I guess my theme for my (choke, gasp) seventh decade of life is dress up.  Or at least year one! 

Photos to follow after events. 

One Minute You're Young, Hip and Carefree

 

I can't stop! 

I have begun peeling and chopping cucumbers for every meal, putting the pieces in my salad bowls and covering with ranch dressing. I miss salads! Mr Merry has replanted the lettuce crop with seeds and we will see how that fares. 

We still have plenty of green tomatoes

And they only grow this big. A very disappointing year for tomatoes at the Merry Homestead. 

One Day at a Time

The garden is still gardening. 

My neighbors don't even want more vegetables.  This counter full went into a cardboard tray from Aldi and was delivered to the food bank. 

Holding Mimi Camp for seven grandchildren the week before school starts was not the best idea.  I am so tired. 

This morning I asked my husband why he was waking me up so early on Saturday. I was crushed to find out it was Friday and I really did have to get up.  We are only making breakfast and putting two children on the bus this year.   

After feeding them and getting them off to school I sat in my chair.  Mr Merry went out with the weed wacker and it's motor burned up. We had to go to the hardware store to pick up a new one which I ordered on line because it was $40 cheaper to order it on line and pick it up at the store which is less than a mile from my house. This meant I had to get dressed. 

By the time we got home it was lunch time. I made sandwiches and then he weed wacked while I did dishes.  By then it was time to start planning the afterschool snack and getting them off the bus. 

Mom picked up the kids and we left to go get my prescriptions.  And then I made dinner (cucumbers, tomatoes and yellow squash - his with a side of a bratwurst burger, mine with a piece of salmon). And it took me until 6:45 p.m.  

And basically that is how my days have been going - a whole lotta nothing.  I haven't even walked for three days - I am just too tired.  Hopefully I can get into a routine by next week and maybe get it together.

I did get my act together for the first day of school. 

Okay, so it is mostly store bought. 

 I did fry the eggs. 

After school apples with salted caramel spread and toppings. Thanks Aldi. 

Farm Marketing

 The garden keeps growing. Today I put photos on our neighborhood page and advertised free vegetables with free front door delivery. 

I still have a few cucumbers left but the peppers are gone. 

I will be back with my Mimi Camp review next week!