VISIT TO SOGGY..ER, I MEAN, SUAVIE ISLAND'S PUMPKIN FARM

Saturday, October 24th, I joined Sue (my best friend), Christina (Sue's daughter), and Brogan (Sue's grandson) to head out to Suavie Island to hunt for a pumpkin for Brogan's first Halloween celebration (he was too young last year!). Now it was a bit muddier than we expected, but we braved it! The pumpkins were out in a field, and the line for the hay wagon going out there was so very long, so we decided not to wait and to hike out there.
It did not look as far away as it turned out to be, and the ground was a bit soggier than expected as we hiked out. We had to pass a large cabbage patch, and they stunk--phewie! I do not like cabbage!!

But once we arrived where the pumpkins were scattered around in the field, Brogan set right in to hunting for a pumpkin to have the honor of decorating the front of his home. (Well, our real goal was to get a good photograph of him with the pumpkins. )

Grandma Sue enjoyed watching Brogan toddling around among the pumpkins. The vines were still all around on the ground and they do not make it easy for a toddler to stroll when he already is a bit unsteady. There were a few spills, but Brogan kept up the search.
Brogan and his three accomplices searched high and low for the perfect (and not too heavy!) pumpkin to take home to grace the York doorstep.
We fought off savage vines, rotted pumpkins, stinky cabbage, and slippery mud to reach our goal.
Brogan inspected them carefully for holes and damage. He was very thorough!!
If a pumpkin did not pass his inspection, we moved on and continued our search. Brogan is very thorough!!

"Nope! This one has an owie!"

"Hmmm....this one might be the winner...

Wait!! I think I see the perfect one over there!"

"Here it is! I found it! This is the perfect pumpkin for me! Hey grandma, come and get it! Mom, come get me. I have had enough of all these gnarly vines and mud!"

After lugging the pumpkin over to the waiting area for the haywagon (yes, we decided NOT to hike back to our starting point) we were glad we did not have that "the bigger the better" mentality! The hay wagon was not one of those old-fashioned ones pulled by a horse...now, this was 3 wagons hooked together and pulled through slipper, sloshy, gooey mud, all the time bouncing, bumping, and feeling like were were on the Matterhorn ride at Disneyland! Nana Rose hung on for dear life giggling and letting out an occasional yelp the whole way. Maybe walking would have been easier!

Once we safely reached our destination (thank the Lord!) we let Brogan enjoy romping through the hay maze, checking out the animals in the barn, strolling through the market (grandma bought corn on the cob) and picking out a baby pumpkin. We returned to the York home where Brogan had a bath to wash off.

Nana Rose was elected to paint the pumpkins for Brogan since no one wanted to volunteer to cut and clean them. We abhor pumpkin guts!
So armed with acrylic paint and Q-tips, Nana Rose set to the task to create the Jack O'Lantern's that would grace the doorstep. Not too scary and perfect for toddlers! Here are the pair all painted!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO ONE AND ALL!!