Oh, what a beautiful weekend.

We couldn’t have asked for a better balloon race weekend, and we hope everyone got outside to enjoy the blue skies, colorful balloons, great tunes and festival atmosphere.

It’s a wonderful sight when just one hot-air balloon hits the skies over the Miss-Lou. But Saturday morning, nearly 60 balloons took flight. The Sunday morning flight was just as beautiful.

Balloons flew at every scheduled time — a rare occurrence in a sport so dependent on perfect weather conditions.

Thanks to all those who made the 25th anniversary of the Great Mississippi River Balloon Race such a wonderful success. And thanks go to God for the wonderful weather.

We are all looking forward to catching up on some sleep and slowing down a bit now that balloon race has passed. But before we look too far ahead, let’s remember a few other great things about last week.

– Natchez High School got its first homecoming parade in years rolling Friday afternoon. And the football team recorded a win Friday night. Congratulations to the students and teachers who worked hard to show their spirit and share it with the community.

– The Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office led a fundraiser for Feed the Hungry, selling plate lunches. The event raised more than $2,000 for the non-profit agency.

– The Miss-Lou Regionalism Education Sub-Committee led a workshop to teach parents about keeping their children safe on the Internet. Such practical programs are exactly what this group should be doing.

Now, as we head into the final stretch of October and look ahead to a busy holiday season, we’ll be dreaming of peaceful balloon rides, sunny days and life in the best little community on the great Mississippi River.