When we arrived at Loyd Park for a quiet fall weekender, we weren’t expecting to be invited to a Friendsgiving celebration. Yet we found ourselves at a pavilion by the lake, surrounded by about 50 friends new and old at tables overflowing with food. Smoked turkey and baked ham anchored the feast, while Chef Cliff wowed with his side dish of tortellini tossed with smoked pork belly and fresh spinach. The weather couldn’t have been better, with clear skies, calm breezes, and a colorful sunset. Add in plenty of doggy love (for those of us missing a furry friend), and it was an ideal harvest festival.

The highlight of the evening was Cliff’s favorite card/dice game, LCR (for Left, Center, Right). Afterward, we headed to the campsite of friends, Scott and Denise, to meet Denise’s 88-year-old father Don who was visiting from Florida. He shared tales of his time as a union leader and United Way executive, including visits to the White House during the Carter and Reagan administrations. Later, we joined other friends around the campfire, reminiscing with a current Fort Worth city official about our own time living in that vibrant city.

Sunday brought a slower rhythm involving our regular routines: watching our morning shows, reading The New York Times, exploring ancestry.com, shopping for e-scooters, all while listening to birdsong and greeting passers-by. Jon made plans for next weekend: a visit to the Kimbell Art Museum for its landmark exhibition, “Myth and Marble: Ancient Roman Sculpture from the Torlonia Collection.” This is the first time the Kimbell has showcased classical sculpture in its 53-year history, so we’re eager to see the 58 masterpieces, which had been hidden from public view for decades, on display. The works, dating from the 5th century BCE to the 4th century ACE, include gods and goddesses, mythological heroes, imperial portraits, and funerary monuments. Event though we’ve seen the treasures of the Vatican, it would be impossible for us to see this range of works together in one place outside of Rome.

As the weekend wound down, we were reminded that the best adventures often happen when you least expect them. From a surprise Friendsgiving by the lake to stories that spanned decades and campfire conversations under a starlit sky, Loyd Park gave us more than just a quiet escape, it gave us connection. And with the promise of ancient Roman masterpieces awaiting us at the Kimbell next weekend, we’re reminded that life’s richest experiences come when we say yes to both the familiar and the unexpected.