Delicious Autumn!

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.  ~George Eliot

I love Fall!  I love everything about it, from the colors, to the smells, to the chill in the air, and especially all the fun activities that come along with the season.

This past weekend we probably fit in three weekends of activities.  Sometimes it feels like there is not enough time during the day, but this weekend I felt like the days just wouldn’t quit.  It was great.

Saturday morning we went apple picking at Whittier Fruit Farm.  When we got on the wagon, Craig was about to take a photo, when he turned to me and asked me if I had put the memory card back in the camera.  Opps.  So the rest of the time Craig and I were taking turns walking around with a very heavy, expensive necklace.   Yay, for my iPhone.  It saved the morning, we were able to take some photos. Besides, the camera mishap Dagny had a great time picking apples and running after me.

By the time we got home it was time for lunch and for Dagny to take a nap.  When D woke up three hours later… Hello! I love her long naps.  We decided to go to Powers Farm, this time with both camera and memory card in tow. We thought since the weather looked like it was going to rain at any moment, that the place wouldn’t be crowded.  It seemed others had the same idea.

We have a feeling this is probably going to be Miss D’s last hayride at Powers for a few years.  Last year she was oblivious to the things on the ride, this year we could sense that she was very much aware.  We tried to make the ride as positive as possible with spiders dangling from the trees and such.  There were lots of nervous laughs from her, but no cries.

Dagny totally confuses me.  She has entered the phase where she is scared of things.  She is frighten of shadows at night in her room.  We had found ways around that fear to put her at ease, even thou there are nights she wakes up at 3:30 am crying and when I go in to her room she practicality flies into my arms.  We noticed that she was not totally comfortable on the hayride.  But then, and here is where the confusion comes in, she loved the tepee.  Where it’s dark with things dangling, spooky music, and older kids going around screaming “BOO”.  She asked us to go through it countless times.  What I have learned from my daughter is that she is unpredictable.  I will never stand in her way in experiencing things, but will always be there when things get rough. I am just happy that her fears at this point don’t prevent her from trying things.

We were finally able to coax D away from the tepee and visit with the animals.  She loved feeding the deer and so did her Mommy.

Dagny probably picked up 50 percent of the pumpkins that were there.  She really wanted to bring one home.

Little D and I.

Here is a photo of the three of us that I just love.  All the stars lined up for this photo!

Because this is the season for visiting farms, Sunday, we went to Gro-Moore Farms in our old hood.  What a difference a year makes.  Last year we were limited by Dagny’s age.  This year Dagny could participate in most of the activities offered.  For insistence she went down this ridiculously big slide… A LOT!

When she got to the bottom, she was catapulted out.  My heart stopped every time.  She just got right up and went back to Craig so he could help her walk up to the top again.  People around me were laughing at her reaction and told me she was a tough little girl and brave as well.  She amazes me.

This year’s “tattoo”, Dagny picked a spider and decided to put it on her hand.  When we were driving home, she pointed to her hand and said “Look Mommy it looks like the sun.” Later in the night she got scared of the spider and I had to remove it.

We ended our visited with Dagny painting a pumpkin she picked out.  I think it came out great.  It’s currently displayed on our mantle proudly.  She was so excited that I put it there, she ran up to Craig pointing and said “Daddy, look my pumpkin!”

Here it is. I love it. Check out the plate.  I think it looks like a happy face.

Now I am exhausted.   I am going to rest up for the coming weekend.

Barbara

Photo Time

On the days that Dagny is not in preschool I like to take her on some form of adventure.  This week we went to Lollypop Farm to visit with the animals and to Highland Park for a nice walk on the trail.

Here is my little photographer.

My little girl sure looks like a big girl.

Barbara

3rd Annual Biro Bonfire

Saturday we got up way too early to drive down to Binghampton for the Annual Biro Bonfire. I look forward to this weekend as summer comes to an end. I think one reason is due to my emotional connection to the memory of October 2008.  The first bonfire was after the call from Russia inviting us to go meet a little almond eye girl. I remember sitting by the fire and all of us talking about the adventure Craig and I were about to take on.  Man, we were so excited about going to meet our little girl.  This memory sets the emotional tone for me. It’s all about family.  And, there is just something about sitting around a huge fire.

We started early so the kids could enjoy it too.

This year my sister-in-laws cousin and his family came too.  It was so nice seeing them again.  I have known them since I was a kid, so really they are my extended family.

It seems like Dagny has a crush on Christopher.  He is such a sweet boy.  He was so patient and friendly with Dagny along with his sister, Stephanie.  I was reminded this weekend that there are good kids and great parents.

Look at her face.  She is so smitten with him.

Here they are enjoying their apples.

Here are the three girls.

Here are some of the cousins.

Dagny experienced her first s’mores this weekend.  Yeah, it was a hit.

Here is what you get when you ask a teenager to smile.  I’ll take it thou, it’s better then most.

Here are a couple nature shots from the weekend.  I can’t remember the last time I saw a brown squirrel.  He was a cutie.

Barbara

Bounce House, Tutu, And Toons

My little girl on Sunday morning after a night of partying with her friend, Greta, at the neighborhood block party.

Here is Dagny right up front in her first mosh pit.

And, finally here she is in the bounce house, which was a huge hit with her and all the kids.

The three of us had a wonderful time at our first neighborhood block party.  It was very nice being able to get together with our friends, the Reeds.

Barbara