Exercising our Right to a Day Off

Election Day! I hope you took time to vote. Because election days are a holiday in Nick's office, I followed suit by taking a vacation day. We took care of voting early last week so the day was ours, and what a beautiful day it was. We were treated to sunshine and temperatures in the low 70s--pretty nice for November in Indiana. We felt like it was a day for fun instead of a home improvement project, and quickly decided to go to Turkey Run State Park to enjoy some hiking and the spectacular fall foliage. Even though Turkey Run is only about an hour's drive from our house, it has been a few years since we visited. We need to make a point to go there more often as it is such a lovely place. We hiked Trail 1 which is listed on the trail map as moderate/rugged and 3 miles long. It was the perfect choice. Trail 1 follows the Sugar Creek much of the way, and leads to the Narrows covered bridge. The Narrows bridge was built in 1882 and is no longer open to traffic but you can walk across. It is said to be the most photographed covered bridge in Indiana. The Narrows bridge was about the halfway point of the trail which then turned away from the creek and meandered through the hardwood forest. We really enjoyed the peace and quiet. We didn't see much wildlife beyond some squirrels and a pileated woodpecker, but we could see where beaver had been at work and suspected some deer probably stood quietly still to look at us.

On the way to the park we took a quick side trip to visit and photograph the Cox Ford covered bridge. I really enjoyed the scenery on the drive down the narrow country road to this bridge. This bridge was built in 1913 by the same builder as the Narrows bridge, J.A. Britton, and actually looks pretty similar to the Narrows. You can still drive across the Cox Ford bridge, however. On the way home we stopped at the Rob Roy bridge which is also still open to traffic. It is a humble little bridge, not as showy as the Narrows or the Cox Ford, but still quite delightful for being just what it is.

All in all, it was the perfect way to spend a day off. It was the kind of day that makes the prospect of spending the next one back in the office a little depressing. Oh well. We are already making plans for our next trip to Turkey Run. We may even make a weekend of it next time. Unfortunately, pets are not allowed at the Turkey Run Inn. Too bad, because Toby enjoyed the day at the park as much as we did. He is sound asleep now, lying on the floor behind me as I type, but I swear there is the hint of a smile on his face. We are all going to sleep well tonight!

Fall Festivities

Now that gardening season is pretty much over, there is more time to enjoy other weekend activities. This time of year there are many fall festivals to check out. One I have not missed for many years is the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival. Although the covered bridges are a draw, the festival is mostly about shopping. The festival originated as a way to showcase local crafts and handmade goods but has gone on to include flea market type booths as well. I always start my CBF day in Rockville which is the hub of the festival. I love circling the old courthouse, checking out the new and returning vendors. This year I finally purchased some handmade wooden jar lids I have looked at many times over the years. The ones I chose are made of a beautiful Burr Oak. They encase a standard canning jar lid and ring so that you can store pasta, beans, rice, or what have you in a canning jar that becomes a work of art with the addition of the elegant lid. Another stop in Rockville is always the Senior Citizen's Center. A lot of people bypass the Center, which is about a block away from most of the other vendors. The people at the Center really appreciate their visitors and are eager to help. I usually buy a tea towel that has had a top sewn on to it so that you can hang it from your oven door. This year I purchased one from a lady who was only days away from her 95th birthday! I also found pair of earrings I had to have that were handcrafted from a lady that I wasn't quite sure really belonged at a Senior Citizen's Center. However, I think that this is a case of "seniors" looking younger to me every year! My daughter has made a tradition of picking up a jar of pickled okra here as well, and I stocked up on persimmon pulp. There are not many places around where you can pick up all of these items in one stop.

After Rockville, we take a short, scenic drive to Bridgeton. Bridgeton is the home of my favorite covered bridge. Actually, the original bridge was tragically destroyed by an arsonist a few short years ago. However, the bridge was rebuilt using the original plans and is just as lovely as the original, minus the feel of history that you just can't replace. The bridge sits near a stately grist mill which has been continually operating longer than any other mill east of the Mississippi River. In Bridgeton there are miles and miles of booths that are so much fun to explore. There are tents of antiques, yard art, jewelry, purses, artwork, fragrances, kitchen gadgets, and food galore. This year, we discovered another feature of the festival we hadn't really noticed before. Dogs! We saw dogs on leashes, dogs in strollers, dogs in front packs, dogs in specially made backpacks, and dogs with backpacks. We saw dogs of every size, shape, and color. Not only were people out enjoying the beautiful fall weather, hundreds of their best friends were along for the ride. I don't know if my dog Toby would enjoy the crowds and the noise, but the dogs we saw this day seemed to be having a doggone good time, so who knows?

It is nice to have a bit less work to do in the yard and more time to get out and enjoy the cooler weather and beautiful fall foliage. I hope we will be able to take in a few more festivals before it is too cold and all thoughts turn to Christmas shopping. If you would like to know more about the Covered Bridge Festival and the area's many covered bridges, here is a good website with a lot of pictures you will want to visit: http://www.parkecounty.com/gallery/