We (DT, me and the roomies) stayed in Eugene last night and drove back to our house this morning. Sierra, 8, was so good yesterday - having to hang out with boring adults - we thought she deserved a little kid-time before flying back to Southern California this afternoon with her Dad.
Good thing we live in the country, surrounded by numerous "pumpkin patches", and they all seemed to open for business this weekend. Our favorite is Oregon Heritage Farms, a large apple farm near our house.
Sierra at Oregon Heritage Farms
Oregon Heritage grows apples espalier-style - trained to grow on across wires, much like grapes. Espaliered trees produce more fruit, and are easier to prune, tend and harvest than apples on standard trees.
Apples
Oregon Heritage Farms has a few barnyard animals on hand for the kiddies to visit.
So cute!
Some pig!
Of course we went on an old-fashioned hay ride through the orchards.
The hay ride went past the Pumpkin Patch.
Doesn't that just look yummy? Know what? It was. We brought a few home... you know just to make sure they were as sweet and gooey as we imagined.
Sierra had a pumpkin painted on her cheek, a good time jumping around in the apple-shaped Bouncy Castle, maneuvered through a hay bale maze and then she tried to win prizes by catapulting (old, bruised) apples at targets in a field!
Get Ready
Get Set
Go!
Ouch. Catapulting apples into outer space is hard work. Sierra sent six apples soaring, but did not win a prize.
Sierra chose a great pumpkin for us to display on our front porch.
It was a difficult decision.
In the end, Sierra decided this little fella needed to spend October on our porch.We drove Sierra and her Dad to the airport, where they caught a flight back home, where Mom was patiently waiting for her family. We love spending time with Sierra. She is so easy-going, so clever and so cute!
Red, Marcia, DT and I were invited to dinner at Terry & Rosie's house in Vancouver, Washington. Terry was DT's roommate in the dorms Freshman year. They were both on the cross country and track teams at Oregon.
Rosie made a Chicken Pot Pie and sauteed green beans... and a spice cake too. The Roomies sure eat well, don't they?Until my next update, I remain, your "I'm running 2,842 miles tomorrow" correspondent.