Punkin' Huntin'

It was Clara's pumpkin patch field trip today, and my camera and I got to go with her. It was a beautiful, crisp, cold fall day. The fall trees around here are just practically glowing from the inside out. I even had to stop on the way to the farm to snap a shot of these trees:



I just love the color of the golden hay against the clear blue Idaho sky:



Oh, and this barn! So neat. Almost makes me want to be a country girl. Almost.



One of the first people I noticed when we got there was a beautiful woman there with her son, and I just couldn't help myself. I walked right up to her and pinched her rear-end! She jumped about a mile, and swung around with a look in her eye that made me think two simultaneous thoughts: "I just made a terrible mistake" and "I'm gonna have a black eye in about 2 seconds."

Then she realized it was her big sister, and she forgave me. She was there with her little guy and his class:



First things first, kiddos! Pile on the hay wagon for a hay ride around the farm - very exciting :)





After riding for about 3 minutes, the driver stopped the tractor so we could look at some animals. And we saw...a ZEBRA?!? (And a 2 humped camel and a ram?!). No kidding! I can say with absolute certainty that a zebra was not on my "might see at the pumpkin patch" list for today.



More hay ride adventure...we were cruising along on back to that glorious barn, when we heard a strange thump and clunk, and then saw this:

"Hey pal, you left us in the dust back there!"

"What? Really?!"

"Yeah, really!"

"Well I'll be..."

He got us all hooked back up and pulled us to the finish. I'll tell ya what. If my child develops abandonment issues, they'll be hearing from my attorney!

Next, we were off to the corn maze (I know, I thought we were just picking pumpkins and going home too!). Again...that beautiful golden field color against the blue sky...

And finally...pumpkin hunting!

"Hey Mom! I think I found one!"

"Yep, this is a good one. But is sure is heavy!"

"Look at the pumpkin I found! Now if I could only find a hat to fit me..."

Happy little hunters:

And THEN...there was a hay bale maze that the kids raced around in. It was voted a favorite among the kids who drove home with me :-)

"I'm taller than you, Mom!" (from atop a hay bale)

And then it was back to the...(loving sigh)...barn for snacks.

Clara moped around all morning because she "really wanted Dada to come with" her. And I don't blame her...her Daddy really is wonderful. But she was forced to settle for me...I think she had fun anyway :-)

PS. How cool is this old tractor!