I love it when fall rolls around… so many great outdoor festivals and events that allow us to enjoy the nice cool weather. One of my favorites is the Scarecrows in the Garden at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. This was the 3rd year in a row that I’ve gone, and it’s something that’s not to be missed in Atlanta. Every October, the Garden is decorated with more than 100 scarecrows handcrafted by businesses, individuals, schools and organizations. This year, the Center for Puppetry Arts made our first scarecrow, Mr. Jon von Hinespyder! He was the creation of several of my coworkers, and they did a fantastic job.

And every Thursday in October, you can celebrate the harvest season with seasonal brews and live music at the Fest-of-Ale. Our friend David Stephens and his band, Banjolicious, perform each week. Some fun favorites include “Banana Pudding,” “Krispy Kreme,” and “Wal-Mart Song.” Be sure to check him out for some good old fashioned banjo tunes!

Meet Mr. Jon von Hinespyder::

Some of my other favorites::

We also enjoyed the interactive scarecrows::

Although we went on this little field trip a few weeks ago, I have to give Karen a shout out today — it’s her 30th birthday!! Happy happy birthday to one of my very first friends from college!

And I’m really looking forward to going back to the ABG for Garden Lights, Holiday Lights when my parents are in town for Thanksgiving or Christmas. We went for the first time last year, and although it was FREEZING, it was really neat… sort of like Christmas lights on steroids. It’s supposed to be even bigger and better this year, so I’m excited to turn this into a fun family tradition!