Pumpkin Patch (Envy)

Even though we have plenty of small greenish pumpkins, no Autumn is complete without a trip to the pumpkin patch.  Darn it, next year I'm going to have an epic one!  I'm a little lamentful about  the fact that a simple thing like taking children to a farm to choose a pumpkin has turned into a carnival-esk experience, but look at those smiles.

They must have about ten or twenty acres of pumpkins.  It was a very expert execution of a money grab, that's for sure, a really slick operation complete with admission fees, extra fees for pony rides, 'corn ball' (like paintball) and corn maze.  They had a easy corn maze on one side for kids and a 'haunted' one on the other side that opened at dark for big kids . . . too scary for me!  Last year, we accidentally wandered into the haunted side and gave our friend nightmares . . . there were little shacks with fake severed hands . . . oops.  Sorry about that little guy!

This year, we lost Francesca in the corn maze and were wandering around hollaring for her and whistling.  I had visions of her sobbing, lost in the corn maze, but alas, tricks were on us.  She was relaxing in the wagon when we finally wandered out.

Next year, the East Valley Pumpkin Patch monopoly will be mine.  Oh yes, it will be mine.