Sinkland Farms 2011

Pumpkin patch day, Can I say that I know everyone goes out a pumpkin patch, but our local Sinkland Farms is the most beautiful place with amazing mountain views.  I would go there even without kids, and might try that if they perform a midsummer night's dream again next year.  It's a little later in October than we usually go out.   It's a beautiful blue sky, bright pumpkin day, and our friends Karen and Doug join us.

walking out to the fields,

 There was a lot of disscussion about what is a squash?  what is a gourd?  Reminds me of one of my fall favorite books, The Ugly Pumpkin

 Some of the gourds make music

 oh, horses!  We said hello and bye bye to them.

 Karen throws kettle corn to Jonathan

 Pony!  Jonathan says, "Hurse, seat!" and looks longingly at the pony rides.  So we said "no",

and move on to the buggy rides.  This beauty has rainbow feathers in her hair.

 They enjoy a ride

 Jonathan doesn't look sure, but he has a great time.

 Then Dorathea learns some cowgirl tricks.  Which is good as that is her chosen profession.

Now onto Pumpkin Chunkin!

And climbing  the hay bale stack.

 And of course wooden cow "milking"

 Full of kettle corn and tired from a day at the farm we head home.

Goodbye scarecrow, Goodbye Sinkland Farms.

Fall Hike

Took a day off, really off to get away from our daily stresses and enjoy a day with our beautiful family.  Their were some major attitude adjustments needed(ahem, mine).  Then we drove off to one of our favorite spots on the Appalachian Trail in Newport.

This part of the AT (Appalachian Trail) runs right through a farm.  This makes it extra fun with little ones to climb over all the trail ladders.  

We've never been on this part of the trail in the fall.  I was amazed the wildflowers were still so bright and plentiful.  Look at the beautiful Asters!  Dorathea, Jonathan and I picked an armful of wildflowers on the walk back (and some burrs we found later).

"Wook is a cow!"

Daddy, Dorathea, and Jonathan all hiking in a line.

It was a perfect hike for the kids, gentle, with so much to see.

The colors of Fall were all out having a party.  The sounds were everywhere too; grasses whispering loud, crunching leaves, wind whistling.

We glided through tall grasses listened and watched close.

 Dorathea announces; "It's time for a game of hide and go seek!" so here we go;

 "Found you!"

 "1..2..3...4..."

 And then we find some cows.  And have a long staring contest.  Dorathea names this cow "Henrietta"

This goes on for a long time.

 We cow gaze as we snack.

 And then back to the trail.

  We climb on last ladder.  When Jonathan says "Go Home"  its always time to do just that.

 But what a day we had!  Bright Flowers and Leaves and children to share them with.

Ted packing up Jonathan.

Happy Autumn to you!

This is where we were today http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=58957

Thank you God for Fall!