I remember fondly the many hayrides, weenie roast, fish fries, camp fires, chili feeds, sausage suppers, and apple butter festivals that were part of my youth.  Many of these celebrations were meant to raise funds for the church or other charities, but just as important was the fellowship and friendships that were formed.  My Grandfather had one of the old cider presses and I remember the family gathering.  We would take those bushel baskets and fill them with various types of apples.  My Grandpa would be very particular as to how many of each type apples would produce the perfect blend of cider, that was not too sweet or too tart.  That cider would be stored in the root cellar, some sold to offset the cost of producing the cider.  The best of the cider was brought out for Halloween parties, the Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations and any Birthday celebration that happened in the fall or early winter. 

There was something magical about building the fall bonfire, pulling straw bales in a circle around the fire.  We would devise skewers out of coat hangers to dangle the hot dogs and marshmallows vicariously close to the fire, to make that perfectly seared frank.  Our friends and family would bring various types and flavors of home made chili, we would mix them together in one big cauldron hanging over the fire.  Somehow with all those different flavors, the chili would be the best we had ever tasted.  We would pull the hay wagons around and take the entire group on a bumpy fun filled ride through the fields and roads of our small community.  Seeing the many manicured fields that were now devoid of corn, beans, Milo, or the many other crops that had been harvested, opened up the view of the countryside in the shadows of the moon. 

These memories and traditions of fall are the threads that keep the quilt of our many lives fluid and connected.  When we create these memories in the very young, it will inspire them to keep these traditions alive and build a strong sense of community for the many generations to come.