2015 Holt Intnl Adoption Picnic

It's Fall, that wonderful season that predates snow, cold and all that comes with it.  Fall also holds the glorious beginnings of football, the harvest of the years gardening efforts, regardless of how fruitless the were.

It's also the time of the year that Holt International, the company we used for adoption, has their annual Adoption Picnic.

This year, thru the scheduling god's of DOOM, it was scheduled in Ames IA, on the same day as the ISU vs. IA college football game...  about 6 blocks from the venue where the game is to be held...

Why?  Dunno, but the poor lady who scheduled it, realized her faux paux only after about 80 people had confirmed their attendance.   And so, on goes the party...

Truly, it wasn't that bad.  We did come to a complete standstill on I35 North twice, once for an accident on IA 30 Westbound just shortly after the exit from I35N and then again at 13th St exit when piles and piles of people were getting off there trying to beat traffic off us US 30.  About 12 to 13 minutes were lost... not that bad considering the events of the day, and the alcohol to be consumed during said event.

This is the shelter and playground that our picnic will take place at. 

3/4 of the Mobile Chaos Unit as we arrived.

The old fire truck that kids can play on.  I learned this week from the fella I walk with at lunch time from work that this thing has been there for as long as he can remember.  He's 3 years older than my 45 year old tushy.

The magic show that was put on for us.

The captive audience of the magic show!

The football game that broke out after dinner/magic happened.

I had never been to Brookside park and since I didn't really care to talk to new people and the obviously didn't care to talk to me either, I decided to take a walk and explore.

Not sure what creek this is, but the water flowing was pretty, mesmerizing and best of all, calm and very relaxing.

This is from up on top of the of the steps seen (barely) two photos back.  There are tennis courts and big grassy knoll up behind where I took this photo.  I took the photo above this one on that bridge.

And ever since we traveled to China, I've been far more inclined to be fascinated by trees that do not fit the normal mode.  This was one of those.