Traipsing and Gallivanting

Yesterday, after my morning appointment, I was blessed to catch up with my sister and go traipsing about for a couple of hours. We stopped at White Haven Memorial Park and said hello to our grandparents and great grandparents...

Grandpa... I love that someone in the family bought him a marker. I don't think it was my dad.

We decided to stop at Powers Farm Market across the street...

They had a great quick bread collection, but we didn't buy any. We each had a pumpkin fried cake instead.

And then we decided, since it wasn't too far off, to drive out to the Auburn Trail in Fishers and find that old railroad tunnel where Dad and Uncle Art almost got themselves killed back in December of 1948.

It was a beautiful day for a short walk through the woods.

Old Railroad Marker

And the infamous, to us anyway, thruway overpass...

Have I told you Dad never laughed when he told us this story?

"Sat. December 11, 1948-"This afternoon Arthur and I went out to Victor in the Model A and started home after dark. On our way home we decided to follow the unfinished Cloverleaf highway (dirt and high). We rode a few miles going about 50 or more when we came terribly near to going off a high drop-off onto a railroad track where they're going to put a bridge in. Arthur swerved the car around on two wheels, blew a front tire, crashed through a pile of iron bars and tore one running board in two. If we'd gone over the bank we wouldn't have had a chance. When we got home Mother, Dad, and I went to a show and saw "Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid" and "A Southern Yankee".

Yesterday

Yesterday I had two little girls for the day. I am not sure where I've misplaced my patience, but it soon became apparent that in order to preserve my sanity, as well as my dignity, we should probably go out and find something fun to do. I decided to call my friend (and daughter), Bethany. The Hay Maze that had been missing from a nearby farm market last week, had miraculously appeared just a day or so after our visit so I took my two girls and we met up with Beth and her two boys for an afternoon of fun.

Jacob wasn't quite sure what to make of the Hay Maze, but Josh and the girls had a blast. Rocky couldn't see over the bales but that didn't stop her from making her way through the labyrinth. Jake, on the other hand, preferred to be carried. By the time we left Bauman's for the next farm market, the older kids were covered in straw and dripping with sweat.

Since we had all afternoon, Beth and I headed toward Powers Farm Market. This is the other place we visit annually. It has the giant spooky teepees, loads of pumpkins, and a nice variety of animals to feed.

The three alpacas had to be on every- one's list of favorite animals. Wish I could have caught them all in one photo; brown, black, and white with the biggest dark eyes. I think they would make some cool pets.


Before we left the market for the playground, I bought a pumpkin fried cake for  everyone, well, everyone but me. I ate a Macintosh apple instead. Still trying to stay gluten free and apples are good for doing that.

On another note, I woke up with a rather ugly boil on my inner thigh the other day. Never seen anything quite like it. I'm putting "black salve" on it in the hope that I can draw the infection out. Ichthammol. The stuff looks and smells like tar.

Eye to Eye, Face to Face, Toe to Toe

Feeding Frenzy

On Thursday morning when the girls got on the school bus, I was left with two little boys. Ben was gone to work, so Hannah and I decided to visit the farm market. We took the boys to our favorite fall place and Hannah made sure to bring along plenty of quarters so we could feed our friends.

My little guy wasn't nervous about feeding the animals. He thought it was great fun. I helped him flatten out his hand and keep his fingers straight, but these animals are so gentle that I don't worry much either, and all the animals come up to the fence looking for a handout; sheep, goats, donkeys, even the deer.

I was surprised to find some new friends at Powers Farm Market this year, a pair of alpacas. They look very much like baby llamas, but I think they are probably better behaved or they wouldn't be out where children are encouraged to feed them. Josh thought they were pretty cool too.

In the past we have typically spent a very relaxed day wandering about, feeding the animals, looking in the store, braving the giant tee pee, and musing over pumpkins. Sometimes we visit the fish hatchery or pick up a box of fried cakes and a gallon of apple cider, and spend a leisurely day enjoying the outdoors, but we needed to be home for the girls and so we cut our visit short. We did however, take a moment to stop on the way home for a few fried cakes and a gallon of cider which we shared with Grandma before heading home.

Your Golden Opportunity

The world is wrapped in gold and kissed with bronze this afternoon. Even a thick cloud cover can't keep the beauty of autumn from shining through. This is still my favorite time of year, cold enough for a fire in the wood stove and a sweatshirt, warm enough for a hike in the woods, and perfect for a steaming hot cup of coffee or bowl of spicy chile. ( I spell it with an "e" on purpose, because that's how they do it in New Mexico.)

It's a perfect day to bake an apple or pumpkin pie for someone special who just might happen to have a birthday today, but I think I'll wait until tomorrow so it will be fresh when it's time to eat. Actually, Bethany chose pumpkin pie which makes me smile because it's my favorite. She is twenty-four today! (I turned twenty-four just a couple days ago...)

I'm still enjoying yesterday's trip to the farm market. The little ones had such fun feeding the animals and running through the crisp autumn air. I wish I had the money to buy them all a pumpkin just for the fun of it, but instead we went to Burger King for lunch where Emma informed me that she does not like meat and refused to eat her hamburger. I learned to pack a lunch next time.

If the weather turns nice again, maybe we can take the kids out to the fish hatchery or visit the animals at Lollypop Farm. Maybe there will be a chance to take a quick walk in the woods before the hunters take up residence in the trees. Maybe we can scuff our feet through the crunchy leaves like Mom and I used to when I was a little girl. If nothing else, surely we can toss those bits of gold into the air, sweep them into big, fluffy piles, and jump into their middles.

Cornstalk Teepees and a Blogger Surprise

Gorgeous late autumn days are hard to resist. The sun was shining, the streets were dry, and I had a four year old all day. He had missed out on our previous outing so yesterday seemed a perfect opportunity.

First we visited Bauman's where each year they have a great hay bale maze and spooky house. We bought half a dozen fried cakes and ate them in the car on the way to Power's Farm Market.

I used to hang out at these two locations for what seemed like hours when my own children were small and I remember my own excitement as a child, runnung into the teepees, picking a pumpkin to carve, and Dad buying a gallon of apple cider and a box of warm fried cakes.

I didn't forget the quarters. Power's sells a miniscule handful of pellets for 25 cents so visitors can have the fun of feeding the livestock. Pretty smart, huh? I wanted Troy to have fun feeding the animals and I didn't want the animals to be disappointed either.

It was getting past lunchtime but we decided to make one more stop before heading back toward home, Powder Mills Park Fish Hatchery. More quarters, more pellets. The fish were biting today! Happily, nobody fell in the water. (I once saw a daddy pluck his little daughter from the cold water and carry her away dripping.) We were all hungry so off we went to Wendy's for a hamburger and a Frosty.

Finally, since my dog was still missing, I headed toward the humane society, Lollypop Farm. I wanted to leave a discription of Jazz in case someone turned her in. I started to pull in to a parking space where a dark haired woman was just getting out her van. She glanced at me as I parked. (I almost ran her over so she probably wanted to get a good look at whoever was trying to kill her.) Then she did a double-take. I looked familiar to her and I thought I had seen her somewhere before too. She was wearing sunglasses. "Hey," I said, "Don't I know you from the blog?" She laughed and said, "Martha?" Now I must admit that I knew Carla previous to blogging, I even went to her wedding, but our recent contact has been only through blogging. She lives in Ohio and I had no idea she was home for the weekend. What a fun surprise!

Flying the Coop

My kids and I escaped for a field trip today. I needed the fresh air and exercise and came home feeling much better than when I started out. It was one of those cloudy days with sprinkles of sunshine. Not too hot, not too cold. Beautiful!

Hungry deer looking for a handout.

Pumpkin wagon. They weren't ours, but they looked pretty.

Bumpy pumpkins.


Feeding the donkeys. They're quite friendly if you have a handful of food.
We actually stopped several places before taking a detour to Taco Bell on the way home. I think I'll sleep well tonight and look forward to playing with my grandson tomorrow.

Time Out

Yesterday we decided to go out to the big farm market in Pittsford. It has been an almost annual adventure for me and my kids. (This is Hannah when she was about three.) Not only is it the location of "The World's Biggest Teepee" but there are plenty of farm animals to pet and feed, lots and lots of pumpkins, a hay ride we never go on, and a store that smells like the ovens never stop baking. It smells wonderful. Powers Farm Market is a wonderful place to take kids in late October. Shelly and Jessi went along with us this time and Beth hoped to meet us (after her lunch with Andy) but she wasn't sure how to get there. I don't have a cell phone and Shelly had accidentally left hers home. I think Beth was severely disappointed.

Today I took a "mental health day" and left the house ALONE! My plan was to stop at Mom's and get some canning jars and then go to the grocery store. Instead I wandered around looking at crafts and antiques and got a Frosty before heading toward home. I did eventually stop at the grocery store, we needed milk and bread, and got home about 5:30 hoping that my dear daughter hadn't gone into labor and left for the hospital with my knowledge. I was praying for her, just in case, but I think Baby is not quite ready to meet us just yet.