From summer...to fall...to winter...and other stuff...
This week, we’re gonna rock...
...but before we do that, let’s ponder, or not, how the season abruptly changed from summer...to fall...to winter(?)...all in the period of less than a week.
I don’t know about you, but I was not ready to turn on the space heater in our living room. Our cats, however, were quite glad to see the contraption at work last Sunday evening. When it comes to the space heater, a quilt or two, and a warm lap, the kitties have it made...
(I guess it could be “worse.” I watched the Rams and Broncos play football last Sunday afternoon. The game was played in Denver, where it was snowing...on the 14th day of October...goodness, gracious...
...now, lets consider a bit of a musical interlude involving something yours truly had never seen.
Last Friday, while heading home from The Paragraph Factory for a bit of a lunch break, I spotted a gentleman strolling through the front yard at an abode in Anna.
The gentleman was wearing what appeared to be a black fedora. And he was playing what appeared to be a violin. Then again, depending on the kind of music he was playing, the instrument might have been a fiddle.
Guess that would all depend on how high up in the air one’s nose happens to be. Sometimes, I like to listen to violin music. Just not squeaky violin music. Sometimes, I like to listen to fiddle music. “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” is pretty good.
Now, let’s rock a little bit...verse one...
Last week, I paid a visit to the grounds of the Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna to check out, and photograph, the displays which were featured in the 2018 Pumpkin Town displays.
The theme for this year’s display was the Illinois bicentennial. As I am sure you know (well, I hope you know), the State of Illinois is celebrating its 200th anniversary during 2018. Union County and the City of Jonesboro also are celebrating bicentennials this year. You already knew that, too. Right.
In keeping with tradition, lots and lots of imagination, and plenty of hard work, went into creating the Pumpkin Town displays. There were a couple of Abraham Lincolns to be seen, and there was even a Big Muddy Monster.
I have to admit, though, that my favorite display involved some pumpkins...and some rocks.
Yup. Rocks.
One of the Pumpkin Town displays had an imaginary creek bed. And what can you find in creek beds?
Yup. Creek rocks.
Once I saw the rocks, I could not help myself. I stopped and looked to see if any of the rocks had any f-o-s-s-i-l-s. The answer would be no. Then again, I did a real quick look-see, so there might have been a treasure or two, and I just missed ‘em.
Rock on...verse two...
Another rock showed up a during a routine visit to the Anna Fire Department. The visit is part of what us old-fashioned journalists call a “beat.” A beat, as I’ve mentioned before, is a place where journalists go in a never-ending attempt to find news which is not fake.
This particular rock was on a window frame. The rock appeared to have been painted. And it even had a secret message. Something to the effect of “FB...Southern IL...Rocks...BG.”
Don’t have any idea what the secret message might have meant. Will continue to investigate...
Oh, one last thing for this week. Yes. Made it to last weekend’s book sale at Stinson Memorial Library in Anna. Yes. Found some more books. No. Did not need more books. Oh, well...