And here are a couple that are 4 years old:
....
and then there's this year:
Showing posts with label pumpkins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pumpkins. Show all posts
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Throwing Back to Pumpkins Past
I was looking back through the pictures of the kids, visiting a local pumpkin patch over the years. Hard to believe these were taken 5 years ago!
And here are a couple that are 4 years old:
....
and then there's this year:
And here are a couple that are 4 years old:
....
and then there's this year:
Saturday, October 26, 2013
A Sincere Pumpkin Patch
James' sister asked when we were going to visit a pumpkin patch for Halloween. This weekend seemed an ideal time. Sonoma County is a great place for agricultural events, so we have a nice range of choices for pumpkin patch experiences.
Because we don't want to take the time to drive to Petaluma, and brave paid parking and crowded, dusty, noisy places, we usually try our side of the Petaluma grade. We've tried a local farm about 3 miles from our house. This year, however, they are not doing a patch. Our favourite place has been Grandma's in Healdsburg.
This weekend I really wanted to keep it simple, as James was having a fussy day. I had noticed a Pumpkin Patch sign along a country lane that ended into my work commute. So I piled the kids in the car and we headed there. I am so glad I did, because we discovered the newest, sweetest little pumpkin patch ever.
There were barely 2 dozen pumpkins left on the hay-strewn patch of ground. Growing beds flanked the pumpkins and the sprinkler was spritzing away at them. A few cheerful decorations were set up, and the man who had been spinning the pumpkin sign at the entrance hurried up the lane to greet us and explain that this was their first year selling pumpkins.
A large black truck had followed us in. When the driver heard this new patch did not have a bounce house, hay rides, or a corn maze, he turned right around and headed back out. This left us free to roam about and explore what was there. It was like having our own, personal pumpkin patch. It felt very down home, and sincere.
We ended up buying a pumpkin, a small pumpkin, and a gourd. Joshua, our sales guy, thanked us for coming, made a good push to sell us some Indian Corn, and finally invited us to come back in December, when they would be selling Christmas trees. He was quite funny about uses for the gourd. My daughter has plans based on his ideas.
I think we'll be back. Great Pumpkin, if you are looking for a Sincere Pumpkin Patch, make sure you stop by Shiloh Road!
Because we don't want to take the time to drive to Petaluma, and brave paid parking and crowded, dusty, noisy places, we usually try our side of the Petaluma grade. We've tried a local farm about 3 miles from our house. This year, however, they are not doing a patch. Our favourite place has been Grandma's in Healdsburg.
This weekend I really wanted to keep it simple, as James was having a fussy day. I had noticed a Pumpkin Patch sign along a country lane that ended into my work commute. So I piled the kids in the car and we headed there. I am so glad I did, because we discovered the newest, sweetest little pumpkin patch ever.
There were barely 2 dozen pumpkins left on the hay-strewn patch of ground. Growing beds flanked the pumpkins and the sprinkler was spritzing away at them. A few cheerful decorations were set up, and the man who had been spinning the pumpkin sign at the entrance hurried up the lane to greet us and explain that this was their first year selling pumpkins.
A large black truck had followed us in. When the driver heard this new patch did not have a bounce house, hay rides, or a corn maze, he turned right around and headed back out. This left us free to roam about and explore what was there. It was like having our own, personal pumpkin patch. It felt very down home, and sincere.
We ended up buying a pumpkin, a small pumpkin, and a gourd. Joshua, our sales guy, thanked us for coming, made a good push to sell us some Indian Corn, and finally invited us to come back in December, when they would be selling Christmas trees. He was quite funny about uses for the gourd. My daughter has plans based on his ideas.
I think we'll be back. Great Pumpkin, if you are looking for a Sincere Pumpkin Patch, make sure you stop by Shiloh Road!
 |
| They have a wonderfully quirky sense of humour! |
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Preparing for Halloween
For the first time, both kids are excited about Halloween. James asks every day if we are going Trick-or-Treating tonight. Just this week he's started asking if we can look at decorations. We've gone out to look, but decorations are scarce so far.
I think part of the reason they are so excited this year is because they had fun the last two years around our house, and therefore have good memories to make them anticipate what's to come. Also? Last year we were in SoCal for a few family events this time last year, and I was able to take them to the first ever Mickey's Trick-or-Treat party at Disneyland. Now there's a place that knows how to throw a party!
Funds are short, but I think we can pull together some decorations of our own from things we mostly have around the house / yard. Here's what I am thinking, Kids can help me cut out eyes, faces, and bats from a roll of butcher paper. We can acrylic paint it black and tape it over our big windows for an effect like this:
One of our scarecrows is falling apart. James has been asking about skeletons (they are using x-ray slides, black paper & Q-Tips to make their own at school). Hmmmm, I'll be I can swing something like this:
And finally, we can do something with the think plant pole in the front yard, where a tree (which was so excellent for Halloween and Xmas decor) used to be:
As for costumes, James is currently leaning toward being Willie Wonka (a la Tim Burton & Johnny Depp). His sister wants to be a witch. Kiki, specifically. She is so excited that she dressed up her doll as an Indian Princess:
Loving it!
I think part of the reason they are so excited this year is because they had fun the last two years around our house, and therefore have good memories to make them anticipate what's to come. Also? Last year we were in SoCal for a few family events this time last year, and I was able to take them to the first ever Mickey's Trick-or-Treat party at Disneyland. Now there's a place that knows how to throw a party!
Funds are short, but I think we can pull together some decorations of our own from things we mostly have around the house / yard. Here's what I am thinking, Kids can help me cut out eyes, faces, and bats from a roll of butcher paper. We can acrylic paint it black and tape it over our big windows for an effect like this:
One of our scarecrows is falling apart. James has been asking about skeletons (they are using x-ray slides, black paper & Q-Tips to make their own at school). Hmmmm, I'll be I can swing something like this:
And finally, we can do something with the think plant pole in the front yard, where a tree (which was so excellent for Halloween and Xmas decor) used to be:
As for costumes, James is currently leaning toward being Willie Wonka (a la Tim Burton & Johnny Depp). His sister wants to be a witch. Kiki, specifically. She is so excited that she dressed up her doll as an Indian Princess:
Loving it!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Kinder F/T: Pumpkin Patch
James' first field trip as a Kindergartener was one he's before -- Grandma's Pumpkin Patch! Even though the weather was grey, cold, and moist the kids were excited.
There was no room for parents on the school bus, so I met up with them after their arrival. James did very well on his first bus trip without a seat belt and his aide said he did a great job of going right to his seat and enjoying the trip.
This year he helped make his pasta string by picking out the colours and poking the yarn through the holes. When I asked who it was for, he said "You, Mommy." Melt. I shared with him halfway through our visit.
James liked handing with his buddy Alex. They raced through the mini corn maze and up to the top of the hay bale pyramid, just to enjoy the jumps back down. He picked out his own pumpkin, one of the biggest in the whole dang patch, and could read his name on the label to show me his choice. Awesome!
James also enjoyed looking at the pullets, which was new because I don't think they usually have chickens this young on display at this time of year. The heat lamp was working overtime in that pen!
He then wound up his trip by driving one of the old display tractors. It's still a little surprising to me to see how well he takes to getting behind the wheel and practices driving. I don't know why, but I still see him as a more passive three year-old. I know he's not ... but I guess the contrast is still new for me. Anyway, I love to watch him go!
We did run into a bit of a problem in that James needed to use the bathroom, but was freaked out by the portapotty. So I signed him out and took him to a quieter restroom, where much was accomplished. We then rejoined his class for lunch at a nearby park. He did a good job eating and racing about with his classmates, playing.
I thought that he was not as excited as in past years to go to the pumpkin patch. I am not sure if it was the weather, the bathroom situation, or the fact that he's visited this patch several times over the past two years. Regardless, it was still good to get out together and have some seasonal fun.
There was no room for parents on the school bus, so I met up with them after their arrival. James did very well on his first bus trip without a seat belt and his aide said he did a great job of going right to his seat and enjoying the trip.
This year he helped make his pasta string by picking out the colours and poking the yarn through the holes. When I asked who it was for, he said "You, Mommy." Melt. I shared with him halfway through our visit.
James liked handing with his buddy Alex. They raced through the mini corn maze and up to the top of the hay bale pyramid, just to enjoy the jumps back down. He picked out his own pumpkin, one of the biggest in the whole dang patch, and could read his name on the label to show me his choice. Awesome!
James also enjoyed looking at the pullets, which was new because I don't think they usually have chickens this young on display at this time of year. The heat lamp was working overtime in that pen!
He then wound up his trip by driving one of the old display tractors. It's still a little surprising to me to see how well he takes to getting behind the wheel and practices driving. I don't know why, but I still see him as a more passive three year-old. I know he's not ... but I guess the contrast is still new for me. Anyway, I love to watch him go!
We did run into a bit of a problem in that James needed to use the bathroom, but was freaked out by the portapotty. So I signed him out and took him to a quieter restroom, where much was accomplished. We then rejoined his class for lunch at a nearby park. He did a good job eating and racing about with his classmates, playing.
I thought that he was not as excited as in past years to go to the pumpkin patch. I am not sure if it was the weather, the bathroom situation, or the fact that he's visited this patch several times over the past two years. Regardless, it was still good to get out together and have some seasonal fun.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Pumpkin Express
I got to come along for the 4-class bus trip to Grandma's Pumpkin Patch last week for James' first field trip! He liked the bus ride, the mini corn maze, and playing on the old tractors. When it came to choosing a pumpkin, he was uninterested, but maybe his focus on chips and apple juice from another classroom's snack time had something to do with that.
It was a picture-perfect day, with a cloudless deep blue sky and the sun making things warm, edging on hot. All the moms I talked with agreed that we appreciated the fact that the lot was securely fenced. My guy and several others kept checking the perimeter, just in case ...
Many of the kids fell asleep on the ride home. Not my guy. He wanted to drive!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)