October Goodness

The thermometer on my car read 37 degrees when I left for boot camp this morning. And it seems like almost overnight (no pun intended) the mornings are pitch black. It takes a little more umph to get up and out from under my toasty covers, but then I remember my m.o.b. dress and that pretty much does it.

Plus when you're up and out early you get to see this...

That's sunrise for those of you who sleep til 9.
Does anyone actually sleep til 9?

It was another beautiful fall weekend in our neck of the woods.

I love October.

When I let the pup out on Saturday morning it was gusty, and FYI-here's why they call it 'fall'.

I don't know if that's true or not, but it seems like it should be. Hubs will twitch from now until every last leaf is down. We have millions, and he doesn't like to see so much as a single one lying on the grass. A typical conversation when we pull in to the driveway after being out for a few hours goes something like this-

Hubs- 'Look at the mess on the yard!'
I spy three leaves and say, 'What mess???'
to which he replies, 'All those leaves, just look at all those leaves.'

Nature you mean?  If he had his way our lawn guys would do a fall clean up three times a week. Shh...don't tell hubs, but I love a windy day when the leaves swirl. Our back woods are positively dancing right now, and I try to soak it all in because in another month these trees will be bare. That's pretty in its own way, but cannot compare to a forest of October trees.

Hubs was traveling last week so we had a quiet evening at home Friday night.  It was just the right kind of weather for a fire out back...

...and maybe a marshmallow or two.  So glad I married a boy scout. 

For the record, I was a camp counselor and can build a pretty mean fire too, but no need when hubs is home. I think a love of fire is present at birth, part of a little boy's DNA they never quite outgrow.

We spent all day Saturday at the 94th running of the Far Hills Horse Race. It's a steeplechase and a really fun day. Judging from my hair you might think I was actually riding, but no...just a very breezy day.

We were in a corporate tent with a great viewing spot, beautiful decor, a delicious breakfast and lunch, and the added perk of our own restroom. Port-a-pottys are for the young, drunk, or desperate and we were none of those on Saturday.

The temperature dropped on Sunday and we watched a lot of football from the comfort of our cozy couch. Shout out to our favorite Tennessee VOL Peyton Manning, for throwing TD # 509, and breaking the NFL record held by Brett Favre. Whoohoo! We won't even mention here the current Volunteer team's performance on Saturday. ahem.

So, what happened in your little corner this weekend, and most importantly, are the trees showing off? Are you happy to live in a world with Octobers?

A Whirl of a Weekend

Well that was short.

Sometimes weekends feel short, and sometimes they really are short.
Ours was the latter.

Hubs was out of town most of last week, and arrived home late Friday evening. I broke my golden Friday night no cooking rule, and made BLT's for dinner. Some might not call that actual cooking, but since a waiter didn't take my order I think it qualifies. After dinner we lived it up with a movie at home.  We dozed through
watched The Great Gatsby which was just eh. I do think Leonardo DiCaprio is totally believable in whatever role he plays, but we thought this flick was a teensy bit boring. Sorry Leo!

We had a really lovely day on Saturday, spent at the Far Hills Horse Race. We've attended this event  several years in a row now, as guests of business acquaintances of the hubs. Monies raised go to the Cancer Unit at a nearby Medical Center so its fun for a good cause.

We always like to check out the tailgaters on our way up to the tent. I'm betting someone in this group has been on Pinterest-

People really get into the spirit of the race-

Our host's tent is in a prime viewing spot, and they always have a lovely set up with scrumptious food. This year their theme was Southern Hospitality so we dined on fried chicken and country ham. The tables were decorated with big yellow roses in silver bowls set atop striped cloths-so pretty!

Mason jars were filled with dried hydrangeas and strung around the tent posts, and there was red velvet cake and peach cobbler for dessert.  I'm pretty sure neither of those make the list of boot camp approved foods, but it would have been rude not to try it, right?

We hung out with our China travel buds and it was fun to catch up in person. In fact when the races wrapped up we extended the day into evening and the four of us went to dinner at a little family owned Persian restaurant not too far from the race venue.

Is it just me or does this post seem to be mostly about food?

How about I wrap it up with something else...fall is in full bloom in Northern NJ and beauty abounds.  And this has nothing to do with anything, but I feel the need to say it was an especially great weekend to be a fan of the Tennessee Volunteers!

Whenever hubs loses his Friday night due to work travel, and then has to head back to the airport on Sunday afternoon, it helps to remember the bright spots in the day that was your weekend.

Off to the Races

Saturday hubs and I were guests of a work colleague for the steeplechase event known as The Race at Far Hills.  This is our third time to attend and this year's running definitely gets a blue ribbon for the weather. What a gorgeous day!

It's still fall here people, in all her multi-colored glory, which means I must mention it at least ten or a hundred times on my blog.

About 35,000 people tailgate and apparently these tickets are like gold. Race go-ers hang on to their same sites from year to year in much the same way football fans hang on to their season tickets.  It's quite an eclectic group and you see a little bit of everything amongst the masses on race day,  including Mr. and Mrs. Master of the Hunt...

a fox, because every horse event needs one...

a Scotsman watching Mr. Awesome Golf Pants play the bagpipes...he wasn't half bad...

and the occasional flying horse....

Of course.

It rained buckets here all day Friday so we had to traipse across some mud to reach the tent. Fortunately we were in what I think is the best location of the whole racecourse, a grassy hill on the end. We have a fabulous view of the entire track sans mud, plus our own restrooms that actually flush. The people on the field must stand in super long queues for the privilege of using a port a pot.

Yes, I do know I've written two full sentences discussing restrooms, but these things matter when you're outside for an entire day.

Do you see that mass of people? If you look beyond the first mass of people,  and then beyond the horses, and then to the second mass of people you'll understand.

Our hosts always do such a wonderful job with the tablescapes and the food (breakfast and lunch).  Monies raised go to support the cancer center at a nearby hospital so the betting is all in good fun.  

There are six races, but we always try to duck out before the final, because the one thing event organizers have not managed to perfect is getting the tens of thousands of attendees out of the park in a timely fashion. We learned this the hard way the first year we attended.

On the way home we decided to detour into a town not far from the race to grab dinner. Hubs and I have been craving Indian food which we ate at least once a week when we lived in England.  Alas, no Indian restaurants in our tinytown, or even the closest tinytowns, but a friend suggested we give this one a try and it was fabulous, the food and service both.

Chicken Tikka Masala and Bhindi Bhaji might not be typical race fare, but they did make for a perfect ending to a picture perfect day.

Finding Gold in the Weekend

Hey, guess what?

We were at home this weekend.

And by home I mean we weren't sitting around doing nothing but we were also not standing in a queue at the airport or packing and lugging suitcases or stripping down for security.

Wait.

Hubs was at the airport. He'd been in Delhi all last week and his flight touched down in the US of A at the delightful hour of 4:25 am. Of course to him that felt like 2 PM so we did what we always do when he gets back from one of these upside down business trips-we went out to breakfast. Its possible we also went out to lunch later that same day but who's counting. He always has stories to tell when he's been to India, some interesting and some sad, so we spent the day catching up and running errands. And eating out obviously. He wanted some regular American beef for dinner so we grilled steaks and caught up on the DVR. Riveting stuff, isn't it? I've written an entire paragraph on our weekend eating habits.

Hubs finds it amusing that he travels half way round the world but I'm the one who kind of collapses when he gets home. In my defense I do not sleep well when he's in these places, so as soon as he's safely home I let my adrenaline crash.

Saturday it was off to the races. We were guests of someone business related (I don't know-I just go along for the fun day out) and they have a lovely tent at this event which raises money for a local hospital. The weather was very fall like with alternating sun and clouds and I was glad I wore my down vest.

(oh good, she's moved from discussing her dining habits to weather talk)

This horse race goes all the way back to 1870 and is host to the Breeder's Cup, the most prestigious race in American steeplechasing. I don't follow horse racing but I do read a lot of Dick Francis novels which are set in that venue so I think that counts. Do you think they saw this back in 1870?

Let me just say for record that he was not with us. Also, the rules clearly stated no pets but somehow this girl managed to sneak in a chicken.

Whyyyy? As you can see, the event attracts a wide ranging crowd. We were up on the hill above the chickens and the superheroes-

There was plenty of wonderful food and pretty table decorations-

I loved the centerpieces and they would be easy to recreate-

There were no Marvel Comic characters in our tent but we did spend a lot of time talking to some British guests which was fun. Will we ever lose that sense of feeling an immediate connection to every Brit we meet? These boys (they were men, but they were young men) had spent a lot of time in our little village, primarily in the pub there but still, it was fun talking about our mutual love of their homeland.

Hubs needed a bit of a low key day on Sunday and what a gorgeous fall day it turned out to be-

We took the little red car for a spin and enjoyed feeling the sunshine on our faces and the seeing the view from atop New Jersey's highest point.

We came home and relaxed on the patio (finally) and even had a fire in the outdoor firepit where this deliciousness happened-

That's hubs marshmallow...he has no patience for a lot of things but he could sit all day and roast a marshmallow to perfection. I have patience for most things but managed to burn two right off the bat with my impatience. He was nice and shared.

And what would your week be without a picture of my hillside?

The sunlight sparkled thru the leaves yesterday and made for a most peaceful and perfect late autumn afternoon. How can you not love the fall?

"There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been!" Percy Bysshe Shelley

Off to the Races

It wasn't a great weekend to be a fan of the sports teams from Philly.

Or the Volunteers from Tennessee.

Sigh.

It was, however, a great weekend for a day at the races.

Who else loves the weekends?

Especially gorgeous golden fall weekends?

Especially gorgeous golden fall weekends where your Saturday is spent at a horse race courtesy of some business blah blah blah connection where you find yourself sitting on a very pretty hillside having a lovely lunch while watching the 90th running of a steeplechase?

Oh and did I mention the weather?

Perfection!

There was a lot of tailgating.

Not sure if all the tailgaters actually watch the races but they do have a lot of fun.

Which is why there are also more than a few of these around.

Here we are at the entry to our space for the day...

Our hosts made it feel more festive with fall tablecloths and beautiful centerpieces....

Food and drinks were available all day beginning with a nice breakfast which was followed up by a nice lunch later in the afternoon.

We had a great view of the track and best of all?

Our own restrooms.

Just keepin' it real people.

I'm not a big fan of the porta potty scenario which entails approximately 50,000 people visiting throughout the day.

If you wanted to place bets on any of the races you could do so right in the tent.

It was all done in support of a local hospital so it was fun for a good cause.

I appear to be seriously studying the race guide.

Actually I had my own system which consisted of something along the lines of-

"This horse has a fun name"

or

"Oooh, pretty silk colors"

Highly scientific.

I'm pretty sure this is how its done at racetracks the world over.

From the hillside you couldn't help gawking but notice a beautiful mansion sitting across the way.

This is Natirar and was at one time the 500 acre estate of the King of Morocco.

It was sold to the local park commission and now a part of the land has been leased to Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Group fame.

He has been developing the property into a hotel/restaurant/spa and they also have a cooking school on the premises.

We heard from others at the race that it was a pretty amazing place and we wanted to check it out on the way home.

Except it took us 90 minutes to exit the parking area.

Yeah.

Seriously ridiculous.

Hello Race Organizers?

We had a fabulous day at your event but next year I think we'll come by helicopter.