Canal Days

Today we took our annual trip to Metamora Indiana for Canal Days. Canal Days is held the first weekend in October and to me is the official kick off to fall. We have visited Metamora for 15 years now and we have great memories of visiting with different friends and family... each year it gets better.

This is a picture of the draft horses pulling the canal boat down the canal.

Canal Days, to be specific is a huge flee market. To me however, it is much more than your average flee market. This year my dad and Leslie's friend Allison joined us for our Metamora fall kick off. It was a great day to walk the small streets of down town Metamora and shop. It wasn't too hot nor was it too cold; the sun was shinning and there was a slight breeze. Couldn't ask for a better day.

You never know what you are going to find in Metamora; each year something new pops up. This year we found hot tubs for sale which were not there last year. My dad purchased a moose antler shelf last year (which you don't find just anywhere). You can find all the "As Seen on TV" products such as ShamWow, Ped Egg, Bumpit and the list goes on and on.

Someone thought they would be funny and sell Jingle Jugs this year. They play music and jiggle at the same time.... geesh!

Typically Metamora is a very family friendly place but they had a couple unsavory items there this year.

Leslie and her friend Allison bought a couple hats which were adorable.

Myself, Leslie and Allison all bought new purses this year too, Nick was very impatient with all the ladies stopping at all the purse tents all day long.

The food was AMAZING! We usually support the same vendors each year when we go to Metamora. There is a youth group who sells Italian sausages and we usually purchase a sausage or two from them. They are lathered with grilled veggies and they are sooooo goood.

Then there is chicken on a stick .. Leslie loves this.

Greg bought a deep fat fried, cheese filled, soft pretzel this year. We are very health conscious during our day in Metamora as you can see.

Our main meal was eaten at the Metamora fire house.

Greg stumbled upon this meal a few years ago and now we eat there every time we visit. All proceeds go to support the firemen. We buy the chicken dinner which consists of 3 pieces of chicken, baked beans, coleslaw, potato wedges (jo jo's) and drink. Yum yum!

Now, this is all good, but my main reason for going to Metamora is the Pumpkin Ice Cream. I know you get purchase pumpkin ice cream right here in Centerville, but I never eat it unless I am in Metamora.

It is a celebration of fall and for some reason eating it in Metamora makes it taste all that much better. I purchase it from the same little old ladies each year and I believe they are even sweeter than the ice cream itself.

Our first time visiting Metamora we purchased a CD of Indian music from a family of Indian's. It is beautiful music and most of it is played with a pan flute. This family is at Metamora every year and we hear their music each time we visit. This music has now become the official fall music at our house. We do not play it until Sept. 22nd (first day of fall) and it gives us warm fuzzies for the fall season. Just listening to the music makes us think of caramel apples, pumpkin ice cream, metamora, hay rides, bon fires etc. It is good stuff. We now own 4 of their CD's. Here is a small taste....

Here are a few pictures throughout the day...

It was a great day... great food, great company, great weather and great buys! You know it was a good day when there is silence in the car on the ride home......

Welcome Fall!