October Neighbors

I've always loved October. The changing of the leaves leads to a burst of energy for this autumn enthusiast. This year was particularly enjoyable considering the weather and the series of great events in our region.

I am lucky to be surrounded by friendly neighbors and I appreciate the neighboring communities that celebrate the fall season. This year's October was a gauntlet of fun for our family of three. Mark your calendars for next October because all of these events are traditions to explore.

On the second Sunday of October, we packed the Subaru for Bedford. The Bedford Fall Foliage celebration is full of color and crafts. The next weekend we headed to Fort Ligonier Days to watch the impressive parade. During the 2015 parade, my then 9-month-old daughter was so excited she tried to eat a leaf. The bands, the horses, the cars, the waving...she was just so excited (Dad extracted the leaf). The 2016 parade was just as fun. Next, we attended AutumnFest at Seven Springs on the fourth Sunday of the month. There is nothing like watching a grown man use a catapult to launch pumpkins into the air. I thought about eating a leaf  while watching Pumpkin Chuckin.

This all leads me back to Johnstown to wrap up October. We are lucky to have all the aforementioned events in geographic striking distance and we also have a celebration of our own. The Johnstown Halloween parade had a big crowd and one huge fan of anyone playing a drum (my daughter). We walked through Central Park and eyed the scattered scarecrows. I saw a lot of kids smiling.

And finally, Trick or Treat night. I strolled through Westmont and Brownstown on the 31st with my Minnie Mouse. Two neighbors, separated by 87 years, speak to what is good about Johnstown.

The first is a 99-year-old man. He gives my daughter a banana every time she visits him. She loves fruit and he loves her. It was not a trick when he handed her a banana on October 31st. She blew him a kiss goodbye. She couldn't have been happier.

The second is a 12-year-old Ferndale student. She just happened to be Minnie Mouse too. Every time she sees my daughter, she comes running. They hug. They have a semi-conversation. On Trick-or-Treat night, she came running once more. An impromptu Mouse photo session went down. They hugged goodbye.

This October, like many before, was a great month. There are so many local events to attend; so many sights to see; so many neighbors to appreciate.

I hope November is much of the same.

And this warm.