How 'bout Them Apples?

Photo Essay

On Sunday we made a trip to the Cedar Grove Orchard. The place is a bit like an agricultural Adventureland.  http://www.centergroveorchard.com/index2.php

It was a little brisk when we got there, but Char was still willing to go out and do some plowing.

Then we went over to the "Three Little Pigs" play area. Unless you are used to reading to small children, you probably don't remember how weird most of the nursery rhymes are.

Here's a "framed picture" inside one of the Pig's houses. It made me laugh, anyway.

After visiting the pigs, turkeys, ducks, and goats, we cleaned off in the Corn Pool.

Although it's not much different from a large sand box, the corn pool is fascinating to sit in. For one thing, the corn is really cold. Last year we visited on a hot day, and the pool was curiously refreshing. This year it was just plain fun.

FYI: Corn in Pool = Corn in Diaper

Next we transitioned from jumping into corn to bouncing on the "Jumping Pillow". Both Mom and Char were skeptical at first, but Charlotte quickly warmed up to the attraction.  Char kept repeating,

           (bounce)                                (bounce)
"This!"              "Is!"                "So!"                "Much!"                "Fun!"
                                (bounce)                                       (bounce)

After all that jumping, Char was ready to lose her coat and take a spin with Dad on the "biiiiggg" tractors.

Then came the train ride.

The train was for children only, and I wasn't sure how Char would do by herself, but she was willing to go solo. So, off they went.

Honestly, this is probably the farthest Charlotte has even been away from family supervision:

I know emotions override rational thinking. She's probably no more than 100 yards away in this picture, but it seemed like a half mile to me. And I don't care how overprotective I would have looked. If Char had started screaming, I'm sure I would have sprinted over there to get her. Luckily, she just kept waving happily from her rail car, and I continued pretending that I wasn't uncomfortable at all.

Charlotte also got trapped in the bale maze and the spider's web.

Whew. We were too busy watching a live juggling act for me to take pictures of lunch at the Feed Bunk. And we didn't get to do the hay ride or the big slide. There just wasn't enough time. Charlotte takes her nap around 1:00, and it was already 1:30.

We did manage to squeeze in a stop at the Hay Cafe for an apple cider doughnut and some apple pie ice cream.

Life is short enough; there's no need to skip treat time.