OUR CAMPING TRIP THIS EARLY FALL

Well, it hardly seems like it should be Fall yet. The weather has been so dry this year and so warm yet. It was only a week ago that the temperatures were close to 90 degrees and the last week has been in the 70-80's. I took our motor home over to Keystone State Park near our home in Pittsburgh, for ten days. It is a lovely park along the river and has a beautiful lake and campground. Needless to say this time of the year the park was very empty, closing at the end of October to regular camping. The ten days I was there included warm weather, Rita coming over for four days in between and several of our church friends coming over for picnic times and walks. Fall is late this year and it will be a few more weeks before the full colors are at their peak but the changes are visible and certainly exciting. I had a great time camping as I just finished a 3 month assignment at one of the hospitals and I am in between any new assignments that are available right now. I took the time to wander through the countryside traveling up to Indiana, PA, where Jimmy Stewart was born and a museum exists there for him. There are some great back roads and Amish settlements around that area and just pure country living. I spent time in the small towns of Smicksburg, Latrobe, Kittanning, Derry Township, Ligonier, Greensburg(Where Seaton University is located) and old Civil War towns like Old Hannastown. I especially enjoyed driving through the Laurel Mountains, south of Pittsburgh, where the scenery was so awesome, with the large horse ranches and small creeks and homes like you would find up in the California Sierra's of Grass Valley and such. The apples, pumpkins and like are everywhere and they are so integrated into the land that you find yourself in the middle of their existence everywhere you go. Festivals are just about in every neighborhood and village and it is amazing how everyone celebrates Halloween and Fall here with decorations on their homes like Christmas. Whatever your feelings about Halloween you have to enjoy the excitement and color. We are going to a Fall celebration this weekend at our Pastor's home, an event he has every year and we look forward to the fellowship outside. I have included of course many pictures of what we have been doing and our friends joining us at our campground area. I will insert some more Fall pictures in a few weeks when we get back from another trip during the height of the color. GOD BLESS everyone.