November is a good time for day trips to small towns.  With the change of color. cooler weather and  If the small towns have arts & craft shows, you will spend the day walking, chatting with artisans, eating food on a stick, enjoying your day and finding homemade treasures to give as gifts.

Heart of Texas Arts & Craft Show

• November 13-15, 2009
• Waxahachie Civic Center, Waxahachie, Texas
• More than 100 artistans will be featured.

Brownwood Arts & Crafts Fair

• November 14-15, 2009
• Brownwood Coliseum, Brownwood, Texas
• Artisans and crafters from Brownwood and all over Texas, featuring unique and hand-made arts and crafts.
• E-mail: director@brownwoodchamber.org for more information.

42nd Kingsland House of Arts & Crafts Craft Show

• November 14-15, 2009
• 112 Chamberlain, Kingsland, Texas
• Saturday, 10am-5pm and Sunday, 11am-4pm. Admission is free.
• Vendor information at 325-388-6983 or patti_pe@yahoo.com.

Deck the Halls Christmas Crafts Extravaganza

• November 20-21, 2009
• Mount Pleasant Civic Center, Mt. Pleasant, Texas
• More than 50 crafters create a wonderland of unique items.
• Entertainment is provided by the NET Sax Quartet.
• Hours are 4 to 8 p.m. Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday

Country Craft Show

• November 21, 2009
• Community Center, Yoakam, Texas
• E-mail: billlopez@gvec.net for information.

Women’s Division Arts & Crafts Fair

• November 21. 2009
• Pecos County Civic Center, Fort Stockton
• Handmade craft  items for purchase.

31st Annual Plano Parks & Recreation’s Christmas Crafts Fair

• November 21-22, 2009
• The Plano Centre, Plano, Texas
• Find holiday crafts and decorations.

Christmas Merry Marketplace Arts & Crafts Show

• November 22, 2009
• Landmark Events Center, Giddings, Texas
• Includes 50+vendors, handmade items, jewelry, demonstrations, music and more.
• E-mail: giddingscofc@verizon.net for more information.

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20th Homestead Craft & Children’s Fair

If you have children and want an educational experience amongst all the fun, this is where you want to be. Elmont is a little north of Waco, off  IH-35.

From the website:

Crisp autumn air; the jingling of draft horse harnesses; the aroma of homemade tamales, hamburgers, pizza and gorditas; friends and neighbors visiting together; children dipping candles, eating kettlecorn, spinning wool, crafting wooden toy boats; the clanging on the blacksmith’s anvil; barn raisings; grinding wheat at the gristmill; choirs and orchestras under the big tent-the annual Homestead Craft and Children’s Fair.

20th Homestead Craft & Children’s Fair

• November 27-29, 2009
• Brazos de Dios, Elmont,  Texas
• Includes handcrafted items, craft booths, ongoing demonstrations, hands-on activities, woodworking, furniture making, leather working, blacksmithing, metal casting, pottery, broom making, basket weaving.
• See draft horse farming and sheepdog demonstration on a working ranch!
• Bring the family and expect to stay the whole day.
• Bring sunscreen, a hat and a light  jacket for the cool nights.
• Free admission, $5 parking.

Christmas Arts & Crafts Show

• November 28, 2009
• Downtown Luling, Texas
• Kick off the Christmas season with unique items, handcrafted by area artisans. Visit with Santa.
• E-mail: pattystephens@hotmail.com

Holiday Arts & Crafts Show

• November 28, 2009
• Downtown Plaza, Uvalde , Texas
• Call 830-278-3361 or visit www.uvalde.org for more information.

Tannenbaum Time Arts & Crafts Show

• November 28, 2009
• City Park Community Building, Mason, Texas
• E-mail: masontexas@verizon.net of  call  325 – 347 – 5758

Where can you get some good exercise, enjoy a fall day, laugh as a family and learn about agriculture all at the same time? At a corn maze.

I found a website that allows you to search for corn mazes in USA, Canada, UK, Italy and Poland, called cornfieldmaze.com.  They are a franchise operation.  If you want to start a corn maze, they help you.

That would be cool if you already grow corn.  After the maze is over, you cut the corn and go about your business.

Happy Halloween!

This year, the Runaway Fright Train from Jefferson will be overrun by Freaky Fairy Tales characters as childhood stories come to life!  The first run of each night is family-oriented, while the later runs are for patrons that want to be scared to death! Take a ride on the 40-minute 5-mile long Haunted House along the tracks of the Historic Jefferson Railway. Go to Terror on the Bayou to purchase tickets and for more information.

Before or after your excursion, you may want to walk through the Creepy Screamin’ Corn Maze, a dark walk through Piney Woods, a haunted cemetery and the 100 foot underground Tunnel of Doom.  There is a daylight G-rated excursions through the Screamin’ Corn Maze on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 1-4 pm.

There are several nearby campgrounds and  RV parks.  For more information, see Corps of Engineer parks on Lake O’ the Pines.

Do you remember the song, The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me, by Roberta Flack? I still remember some of the lyrics:

If anyone should ever write my life story
For whatever reason there might be
Oh, you’ll be there between each line of pain and glory
‘Cause you’re the best thing that ever happened to me

Is there someone in your life about whom you feel the same?  A mentor, a teacher, a coach, a professor, a volunteer? Someone who expressed an interest in your life, took the extra time to teach you something, or did something for you that was unexpected?

I remember a teacher at Central Texas College @ Austin, Mr. Ward.  I was 18 years old, a high school dropout, attending a vocational school while waiting to receive my GED scores.  He was nice and helpful as a teacher.  However, one day he asked me to stay after class and talk with him.  He offered to help me receive a scholarship to Central Texas College @ Killeen.  He talked about my intelligence, how quickly I learned computer programming and the opp0rtunities for someone like me IF I had a college education.

I thanked him, but I did not tell him how much his support meant to me.  Bouyed by his confidence in me, I went to the University of Texas @ Austin campus with my GED scores and secured a scholarship.  A few months later, I went back to the CTC @ Austin campus and the school was gone.  I was never able to tell him, “Thank you for having faith in me.”

Find Anyone using America’s #1 People Search, MyLife.  I was unable to find Mr. Ward.  However, if you are looking for someone special from your past, try it.