A Good Option for Outdoor Lighting?

We have a pesky post light in the front courtyard that needs some serious updating. I figured we would have to settle for the usual pseudo-colonial, Paul Revere-type, or a basic globe. This limited selection (or our limited budget) too easily prompts us to get excited about anything half-way unique or reasonably priced. Case and point: Lumens has the very cool Besa 4892. And wouldn't you know it, there's a wall sconce to match. Hmmm...

via Lumens

And the best damn chili is...

The beginning of November brought another little tradition we're trying to get started in our community. This year we hosted the second annual chili cookoff. While in Boston, we had three consistent years of this chuck wagon culinary competition. There, we averaged about 25 or so guests and usually no more than 5 competitors. This year, our little event in Southern Illinois wasn't so little. Over 65 people attended and 15 chilies were entered for the big trophy. As luck would have it, that night was beautiful in Southern Illinois and the festivities could spill out into the back yard. (Next year, we're going to need a bigger house.) The winning chili: Beef Mole. (That's "mole" as in "mo-lay," for those of you who might have thought we eat little fuzzy ground rodents in these parts.)

The event spills into the back yard (As you can see, the house is finally painted, too)

Unfortunately, this is the best picture I have of the 15 entries
(There was usually a crowd hovering around the table of temptations)

Halloween 2009

Fall is hard to beat. The air turns a little crisper and the leaves prepare for their best performance. This year, we tried to begin a few traditions: pumpkin carving and costume construction. As you can see, both were a big success. I'll have to admit, I was really thrilled with how well my daughter's dog costume came out. At first, she wanted to be a duck this year. Fortunately, she had a change of heart. The pumpkin carving was a blast, too.

Digging out the innards

I feel sorry for the little guy

That's right. Her daddy can sew, damnit!

It's all in the details (or at least that's what I'd like to think)

Costume approved

Packers in St. Louis

It's been a busy fall, and I've managed to get too far behind on posting. First, I thought I would share some pictures from our tailgating and attendance at the recent Packers game in St. Louis. Soon, we'll have to go to a game in Green Bay and (the lion's den itself) Chicago. In the meanwhile, there's always the game in St. Louis every other year. Fortunately, this year's game was in late September. Two years ago we froze in December. Let's just say the tailgating that year was a bit abbreviated.

Tailgating with all the accoutrements

Even "Brent Favor" (the Packers gnome, center) joined in the festivities

Nosebleed...