Crisp air, good company, and does size REALLY matter?

 The crisp chill in the air   is nudging us into long sleeves and hooded sweatshirts, but that isnt slowing us down on the farm!  The cooler air makes for a more enjoyable  early evening hike and greatly helps   in keeping  the bugs at bay, so much easier to enjoy the change of colors  that will soon surround us. 

Last week while picking apples at the "pick your own self serve orchard "  just down the road, the bugs  drove me nuts, I have total empathy for the poor deer that  charge out into a field shaking their head in  fits as they attempt to rid themselves of the relentless skeeters and gnats. Now just one week later I  easily pick apples without so much as having to swat a fly away and no bug repellent required! We now have a delightful apple desert pizza, bug free!

 
This is indeed the magical time of year that most northern Wisconsinites revel in, it is what makes our winter bearable, and a hot humid summer tolerable.

Last night was a testimony to the locals' love of autumn as  "Pizza By The Pond" was surprisingly well attended considering the unusually cool weather for
the week. Heavy,  gray, and overcast skies threatened us right up until 5:00 pm when the sun finally decided  that it was indeed time for a party and ushered out any remaining gloomy clouds.

Car loads of folks started to arrive spot on at  opening and continued at a  casual but steady pace throughout the evening, so many  local "pizzavores" out for a good time!

  A cross country ski club  from North Branch, Mn  ventured across the river to explore the pizza selection and enjoy the surrounds. They LOVED the idea of the upcoming  winter pizza party on Sunday afternoons (beginning in November)...we are definitely going to redefine winter fun!

  Every week we tweak the pizza dough just a little bit more and this week I think that we finally found pizza dough nirvana! It's been good in the past, but now it is achieving GREAT!  Lightly crisped  yet still chewy and a bit more "poof" on the outside crust.   I was  in the middle of explaining to a customer about the origin of the  organic flour from North Dakota when the "big brown truck" arrived at the top of the drive to the grotto.  I had forgotten  that  I had closed the other driveway  entrance, but it obviously did not deter  our determined UPS driver, he  re-routed  that old truck down into the grotto to deliver  the organic flour, thrilled to have volunteers help him unload the heavy 50 lb sacks.   Unfortunately he couldn't stay for pizza, perhaps next time.

We also added  a campfire to chase the chill from the late diners, everyone loved it so much that we decided  to start next week's "party" with a  bit  bigger bonfire near the overlook. ...take that as a cue to include marshmallows in  your picnic  basket!

Of course as usual Pauline, our "Hostess Extraordinaire" was in prime form last night.
One diner mentioned that Pauline should be on stage, perhaps join St Croix's Festival Theatre...I said,
"The world  IS her stage "!

Andy's girlfriend Kaity and her family came for supper, and after being entertained by Pauline's antics they decided that  they are going to start a "Pauline Fan Club" on
"Face book '. I hope they do, we would LOVE it! It is time Pauline has her due!:-)


  Oh, one more thing, we actually had a "penis "contest last night...yes, I
really typed that!   Three little children, two boys  and a girl (all under the age of six years) were playing by "The Pond"  when one little fellow  made the mistake of
calling the other "penis breath" (according to his mom, he had just watched the movie E.T.)

One antic led to another and soon their squeals of laughter caught our attention...we looked down the hill to see three little kids  each holding onto a stick at groin level having a contest as to who had the biggest "penis" !
The little girl won!!!
Only on a farm does that seem normal.


Life at LoveTree rambles on....