{Friday Find} Pumpkin Patch

{I'm linking up with Kim Klassen and posting about something I've found this week: an image, a thought, an insight--whatever it may be, the possibilities are endless.}  

This past Friday saw the end of a rather stressful week. I can't really go into details but suffice it to say that having a child with a chronic disease can be quite the eye opening experience when dealing with bureaucracy.  I wanted to end the week on a high note so I loaded the girls into the car Friday morning and headed up the road to our favorite fall destination: Apple Hill. I knew that the promise of fresh apple doughnuts, apple cider, and beautiful scenery would go a long way to redeem the whole week.  I was right; it did!

The whole way there, my youngest kept asking to get a pumpkin (never mind the two on our doorstep).  I wasn't sure I could oblige as the pumpkins get fairly picked over very early in the season.  But I told her I'd do my best. She was so happy when after stopping to get our doughnuts we headed to her favorite apple ranch, complete with pumpkin patch and petting zoo.  Unfortunately, the pumpkins there were a rather sorry lot, with many being close to rotten. We decided to look for another patch. So glad we did. Not only did we find an honest to goodness patch (most of the other "patches" are just cleared areas that already-cut-from-the-vine pumpkins have been placed for ease in picking) but they had wagons for hauling away your chosen squash!  Good thing as she was determined to get the BIGGEST pumpkin ever!

Snapping a picture of this girl is an exercise in patience as she rarely ever slows down.  As soon as she found her pumpkins she was wasting NO time getting back down the hill to pay for them. I had to run after her, practically begging her to slow down long enough to take this quick pic.