Fall Is Here!

How do I know?  There were three things today that tipped me off:

(1) The temperature dropped about 20 degrees, so our highs were in the high 70s/low 80s instead of 100 degrees;

(2) My office held our annual flu shot clinic (yep, I got one); and

(3) It's PUMPKIN time!  Since I spent much of the day yesterday decorating for fall, I was ready today to make my annual trek to the farm stand to get my pumpkins.  For those of you who know the Sacramento area, you might recognize the Davis Ranch at Sloughhouse.

Sloughhouse is famous for its sweet corn, and corn is still in season there.  It's always seemed to me that Sloughhouse corn arrives a little later than most, but then it's still available in October, so I can't complain.  And, besides pumpkins, I came home with a bag of ten nine ears of corn.  (I microwaved and ate one as soon as I got back to the office, so I suppose I can't honestly say I came home with ten ears, can I?)

One of the reasons I go to the Davis Ranch each year is the amazing variety of pumpkins they grow.

These photos don't even come close to showing all of the types of pumpkins they sell.  And I like to come home with a good variety of types, colors, and sizes.  I love those warty-looking pumpkins, don't you?

This was my cart--but I guess I took this photo early on, because by the time I left, it was much more full than this.  How many pumpkins did I buy?  No idea!  I bought several of the small round ones for friends in the office and then, when I got home tonight, I spent at least a half hour wandering around the house with pumpkins, looking for just the perfect spot.  And you know what?  I think I'd like to get a few more!  I know the grocery store is probably the easiest and cheapest place to get the standard variety, and Trader Joe's has a couple of the more unusual types of pumpkins like Fairytale and Cinderella, so I'll just pick up a couple more as I shop for groceries in the next week.  And I love to tuck those little guys here and there around the house, so I'll need to get more of those too.

If you asked Hubby, he'd probably tell you that one of the best things about decorating with pumpkins is that they'll be thrown out when the Christmas decorations are unpacked, so he doesn't have to find room to store them in the garage until next year.  (I suspect if you asked Hubby, he'd tell you he wishes I'd do the same with ALL the decorations!)

I have a few more decorations to finish up around the house, and then I'll take some photos to share.  Are you ready for fall yet?