Summer is upon us, it seems with a sense of humor. We have boomeranged between hail and sweltering heat that could melt the paint off your car with wild abandon. We seemed to finally be in the grips of some hot and humid weather, when this cold front jumped up to remind us that, if anything is certain, it is that Mother Nature is unpredictable.
We sure found that out last October, when the rain poured and the wind whipped, just long enough to see who could stick it out, then as a reward for those of us who stayed, the sun burst through the clouds, and the remainder of the day was quite enjoyable. The scarecrows held up their end of the bargain, being "all-weather" materials, more or less. At least enough so to last out the day. The Wood-Fired Brick Oven Pizza chef was in high gear, cranking out delicious pie after delicious pie.
Music drifted through the air with the sounds of guitar and banjo keeping an up tempo while patrons visited the wine tasting area. Visitors listened to interesting tales of the history of our Baltic Mill and Boone County from local historian George Thomas. Shoppers picked up nifty items from our vendors and local artisans, including the wildly popular Socks-That-Rock, from our own Joelene Chinn (her work can be found locally at The Brick Cafe and Art Gallery, as well as the Rockford Art Museum gift shop).
Children and families had fun "shopping" at our Pumpkin Patch, building their own scarecrow, and other make-and-take crafts provided. The inflatable rides for the kiddies had to be scrapped due to the windy weather, but we hope to get a "do-over" this year!
As the daylight began to turn to gold, folks moved over to the Spencer Pavilion where s'mores were waiting to be made around our campfire, Fireside Music entertained with great sing-a-long tunes, and a storyteller shared "spooky" stories that were safe for children's ears! The Wood-Fired Brick Oven Pizza chef moved into the pavilion, despite a trickle of rain, and sold desert pizzas like peach pie and s'mores, which were so tasty and delightful!
Mother Nature brought us back to reality, with a splendid display of her own brand of fireworks, and the sparks nearly got us... thank goodness for that large and sturdy pavilion, we were all safe! With a boom, a crack, and a flash we knew it was time to bid farewell to our friends and to the harvest season with gratitude in our hearts.
