Fall has arrived in Sampson County

Yes, fall has arrived. Cool nights and bright sunny cool days. The leaves are turning. The cotton and peanuts have been harvested around us. Now the fields look sort of sad. Just the dead plants are left in the cotton fields. The peanut plants have been prepared for pickup and use as cattle feed.
And we are still here in Sampson county. In the past couple of weeks we've continued to provide support for my Mom and Dad as they recover from their illnesses. Both are making some progress but it is slow. Dad's blood pressure is still preventing him from getting his therapy regularly. Hopefully the next week will be better for this. He has a follow up with his Rehab doc in Raleigh on Monday. We hope he will continue his therapy for another month at Betsy Johnson. Especially since he hasn't been able to work for the past two weeks. Mom's hearing hasn't really improved much. We hope every day that it'll finally be returning. We appreciate your prayers and kind thoughts. If you're down this way, please stop by for a visit.

Last Saturday we went to Huntersville, NC with Van, Rita and Daniel to The Carolina Renaissance Festival.
http://www.royalfaires.com/carolina/Default.asp?Page=65

This a 16th century European style art and entertainment festival combining outdoor theater, circus entertainment, arts and crafts marketplace, a jousting tournament, a feast fit for royalty, and much much more. The 14th annual season runs on Saturdays and Sundays until November 18th. This was the third time Rita, Daniel and I had been. Gary and Van had never gone before. Rita, Daniel and I enjoyed it.
But, I don't think Gary and Van want to return. Just not their "thing".
There was lots of walking involved. Much to see and hear. There were even "rides" for the young. We ate a Scotched Egg for lunch. This is a boiled egg, surrounded by sausage and baked. Actually pretty good.
While there we saw the Ded Bob Show (skeleton puppet), the London Broil (juggling w/ fire) and Dextre Tripp (With vaudevillian style, Dextre astounds his audience, executing acrobatic feats including slack rope walking, juggling fire and walking an incline rope with a deftness that belies his surname.)
Everywhere you looked there were folks in costume. Fairies, knights, monks, ladies in waiting, pirates and even the "Queen".
It was great fun. So..if you get a chance..check it out. One more weekend to go.