Sunday, October 19, 2008

Autumnal merriness...

I love the fall. I love the cooling climate, the crisp air, the return of fog. I love the crunch of a fresh apple, the warm spices and comfort foods, and caramel. (Sure, you can get caramel all year round, but there's something about that smoky, burned sugar taste that goes with fall.) I love the twilight and pre-dawn colors of the sky, and in the fall you don't have to get up as early to appreciate them. The turning leaves, the sweaters, the snuggliness of it all...

And of course, Halloween. Today I took the kids and Denise to the Adobe Pumpkin Farm in Petaluma for an afternoon of Fall Wonderfulness. This place is a bit on the crazy side for pumpkin patches--almost a carnival more than a patch. There are two haunted houses, a hay maze, and a corn maze. There were three little barn-buildings-turned-shops, and a coffee shack. There are little booths where you can get snacks (cotton candy, caramel apples, fresh-popped kettle corn, and funnel cakes). There is a "train" ride that tools about the 30-acre farm, as well as a hay ride. There are demonstrations of old farm equipment, still running. There are jump castles, a pyramid of haybales to climb on, and a rock wall, as well as several live performers wandering about.

Oh, yeah--and pumpkins. TONS of pumpkins.

They also have fresh autumnal flowers growing onsite, peppers and olives. (You can even get some fresh, home-pressed olive oil in one of the barn/shop places.) If you are in the area, you should stop by for a visit. The pumpkin prices are pretty high as opposed to getting them at a nearby supermarket, but the experience is more than worth it. And hey--who says you have to buy them there? But you may want to--there were still several you could pick right off the vine. And that is a fun experience.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

That sounds like fun!

Jonathan E Johns said...

Honestly, I don't think any of the great literary writers of our time, who spoke so elequently(sp?) about the coming death of the winter season through the autumn ever lived where you did. Here, Fall is like the last chance to see the sun, feel any warmth, see any leaves... It portends a six-month long season of death, and grayness, and depression.

I wish I were back there...

Anonymous said...

Mmm...snuggliness. Good word. :) As Charles DeLint would say, I love the crunch of leaves "underfoot," and the scent apple spice in the air. A pleasure to share it all with you and the kiddos. *hugs*

Anonymous said...

Autumn. What frikkin' Autumn. It's October 27 and it is still 80 frikkin' degrees!

Jonathan E Johns said...

We had what is known as 'The Killing Frost' last night.

Death wanders the countryside here.

I look for it daily.