Pumpkin Patch!

Yesterday we went to our favorite pumpkin patch (another one of our annual fall traditions). We've been meaning to go for a couple of weeks but as we all know, life doesn't always allow us to make and keep plans. When it came down to it, our going yesterday was a last minute decision but it ended up being the perfect day to go. While we had to wait for a cart to become available, it wasn't very crowded, it was the perfect temp outside, and there were plenty of beauteous pumpkins waiting for us to find them.

As usual, the kids made a bee-line for the hay maze and had fun exploring for a while. We then went to our favorite place to find some pumpkins: the outer reaches of the farm. We always head for the road less-traveled and tromp through weeds, thistles, and countless pumpkin vines until we find what we're looking for.

In the end, we walked away with 94 pounds of pumpkins, 3 large gourds, and 9 smaller gourds and mini pumpkins. Then, after loading up the beast and just prior to driving away, we decided that we "needed' to get one or two of the huge pumpkins that they had on display out front. We ended up with two of them weighing in at a total 120-something pounds. That makes for a total of over 200 pounds of pumpkin. The larger was 83 pounds and the other was 40'ish. It was one of those days that I was extra thankful to have a husband who is willing and able to lift heavy things...they would have killed my back! We're considering carving one of the big ones for Halloween but I'm just not sure yet (I'm the "scooper" and I have to think long and hard about whether I really want to dive in to that task). Either way, at least one of them will adorn my front porch until Thanksgiving is over.

I haven't taken pictures of the porch with all its pumpkiny glory yet (and yes, pumpkiny is now a word). Nor have I completed my fall mantle with the smaller gourds that I purchased. I'll get the mantle done, take pics of both, and that post will follow soon.