Finally Fall

Howdy Y'all
I borrowed that phrase from one of my favorite Texans - Big Tex.
Like Big Tex (a huge plaster statue who stands sentry over our great State Fair) I've had a rough go lately.  Unlike Tex, I did not spontaneously combust!
But October is here and things are looking up!

I just love October and let me tell you why!

1. Fall is my favorite time of year.  We really don't have fall in Texas but when those temps dip down in the 80s, I am in heaven. Yep the 80s are fall in the Lone Star State and we often are still wearing shorts when we carve the turkey. True that.

2. The State Fair - Texas holds its State Fair for three weeks from the end of September through the middle of October.  It is sensory overload in every sense- midway games, rides, exhibits, museums, new cars, concerts, Broadway musicals, waterless cookware, and Vitamix salesmen. You run the gamut just to get to the Holy Grail - Fletcher's Corny Dog Stand. There's only one and they are worth every ungodly ticket charged (so much so, that I go back several times before returning home). I don't need fried cupcakes or fried PB&J's just my Fletcher's please.  I'm a simple girl.

3. Football. I know football begins in August but it gets REAL in October. All of those fancy uniform wearing games are over and we can get down to business:)

4. The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown is back on TV - enough said. The world could use more Charlie Brown.

5. Daylight Savings is approaching - call me weird, but I like it when it's dark at 7:00.

6. It's my birthday this month- I won't tell you when, but I love birthdays.  Not for the presents, but because each birthday itself is a present.  (I also love cake)

7. Families (or at least mine) starts to slow down a bit.

8. Leaves, Pumpkins, and Cider!  One of these days, I will take a trip up north and experience a real fall, but for now I have decor courtesy of Hobby Lobby and Scentsy!

So good-bye and good riddance September. This year you were a real booger and I am more than ready to see you leave.
October, I thought you would never get here!

So Happy Fall Y'all!
Love & Blessings,
Puddin'

Here's a great recipe for those "cool" fall days of watching football and the Great Pumpkin!

Spicy Pulled Pork
4-6 lb pork butt
2 yellow onions, peeled and halved
2 cans Barq's root beer
1 can chipotle peppers in adobe sauce (chopped and sauce reserved)
1/2 cup brown sugar

in a dutch oven, place the roast that you have seasoned with salt and pepper on top of the onion halves
top with chipotle peppers in sauce, brown sugar, and root beer
cover with foil then lid
place in a 300 degree oven and cook for 5-6 hours, basting every hour.
remove roast from pot and shred and return to pot ( you can skim fat and remove onions if you wish)
serve on warm buns with cole slaw and sweet potato fries