Under A Tin Roof: Returning to our Roots
Summer is officially at a close as of tomorrow. Isn't that crazy?! What better way to welcome the autumnal equinox than a fun family gathering? We had so much fun putting together a gathering around the campfire that our Aunt Jane and Uncle John (I know - so cute!) showed up unannounced. Ha! They must have felt the pull of our skillet apple pie. That is something that our little family missed quite a bit when we moved to the busy Houston area. No one ever just stopped by your house! If you haven't seen the stand-up bit by Sebastion Maniscalco on company ringing your doorbell you must watch! We never really met any of our neighbors while living there, but when we moved back into a small town, it was a pleasant surprise to be unexpectedly greeted by company every now and then. We have started having Monday gatherings with our creative friends to enjoy some good conversation while we craft. It's been so fun! We thought it would be a nice treat to share our campfire gathering with you so that you may be inspired to gather with your friends and family!
We have not been camping in years, well at least Jill and I haven't! Kurt, my dad, is not a huge fan of 'roughing it' because who doesn't love a nice, hot shower, am I right? My grandma used to manage a Girl Scout camp, and I spent every summer there growing up until I started middle school. It was a blast! Though we couldn't go camping for this particular day, we decided to gather around our fire pit and enjoy some good, old fashioned camp-themed food! We roasted weenies on the fire and heated up a can of chili to top it with, finishing the meal off with kettle chips and a pickle spear. Yum! We filled our mugs with warm apple cider and sipped away, feeling like fall was more near than we thought. It was delicious! Just like I remember as a little kid. And this mug just topped everything off. It's beautiful! The guys who started Fontenelle Supply Co. in Des Moines sent it to us to try out. This small business started when four friends would get together and work on remodeling and restoring old axes for their "bro nights". They now create some of the most beautiful leather goods and camp-related gear. So cool! You can read more about their story here.
They also made the leather bracelet I'm wearing. I just love it! I really dislike wearing jewelry, and this is super comfortable, almost unnoticeable to me, and that makes me happy. I also love that it's not flashy and overly feminine. Wearing metal jewelry tends to make my skin itch, so this was a great alternative to adding an accessory to my typical day-to-day outfits. Yay for simple aesthetics! As you can see, I am really enjoying that apple cider.
Then came the pie! Oh, the pie!! It was so good. I'll be sharing the recipe tomorrow, so keep an eye out. Brown sugar crusted on the bottom. Oh my goodness... I am dreaming about this pie. We topped it off with some vanilla bean ice cream. Absolute perfection!
We all enjoyed taking a look at this bandana that features a print of the Winter Solstice. I have always been curious about using the stars as a guide. I can sometimes get lost in my own head wondering about how the stars were once charted and used so regularly to find your way, especially considering there were no lights to block them out. History is so fascinating to me! Perhaps Tad will find this print interesting in a couple of years. I just can't wait to see what kinds of things his mind is captured by! I hope that he likes some new, interesting things that I do not currently have a hobby in - like stargazing!
I have a feeling he will be rather athletic, as that's all he seems to be interested in. He loves running and jumping and skipping and climbing and leaping and yikes! I am exhausted. After obsessively touching and messing with Uncle John's bike, it was time to let his have a go at it. He loved it.
Such a fun night enjoying the fire, good food, and even better company. I love impromptu gatherings; there needs to be more of them! It's such a beautiful thing when people get together and you feel that buzz of newness, of something fun about to happen. Here's to many more autumn gatherings around the fire and elsewhere!
xoxo Kayla
This post was sponsored by Fontenelle Supply Co. | @fontenellesupplyco
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