Hot Summer Day at the Apple Farm

One of our favorite fall destinations is Nivens Apple Farm.  We have usually visited on a brisk October day to pick out our carving pumpkins, but when my friend Tammy invited me a week ago to join her family there this weekend, I couldn't say no.  Picking apples in September still seems to be a fall activity and heading there my main concern was rain.  Rain we did not get.  Instead, hot, hot air and sweaty, sweaty kids and parents.  There were moments of character building when the whining was at its peak in the corn maze, but also moments of childhood joy when hayride wagon was coming around the pond and heading up a hill.  Despite the heat, it was a great day which we finished up with a much appreciated early dinner at Denny's.  We got our money's worth as kids eat free on Saturdays!!

First a little recap...

Philip's first visit to Nivens. He was 21 months old.

And Philip this year.

Braewyn's first visit to Nivens. She was 5 months old.

And Braewyn this year.

Juliet's first visit to Nivens. She was 20 months old.

And Juliet this year.

And this was Rylan's first time at Nivens!  He is 15 months old.

Click on the above picture to see the rest in a larger format.

Carl Sandburg Home Field Trip

We had a great day Monday visiting a National Park just up the road from where we live.  Carl Sandburg was a widely known poet and author in the 1920's and 1930's who bought a large estate near Asheville, NC in 1945.  When he died in the 1967, his wife donated their home as it was, leaving all their personal possessions inside, to the National Park Service as a memorial to her husband.  Between the educational tour of the home and the carefree enjoyment of walking among goats, this made for a great family day / field trip.  We could kill two birds with one stone by celebrating Labor Day together and getting another day of school checked off the calendar.  The kids learned a lot (I hope!) by completing these great Junior Ranger workbooks and earning badges after turning them in at the Park store.  They even had to raise their right hands (Braewyn was given mercy and could raise her non-broken left hand) and repeat a pledge to the Park Ranger!  This is definitely a destination I would recommend.  You even get a good bit of exercise as the parking lot is a distance from the house and house is a distance from the goat barn.  Makes for a wonderful day to experience God's creation all around you. (Click on any picture to see them enlarged but captions will not be present.)

At this point, we didn't really know who Sandburg was.

A wooded trail from the parking lot / welcome center to Carl Sandburg's house.

Part of the tour.  We were told to stay on the carpeted path and not touch anything!

Grandma and Juliet look at the photos of the families' prize-winning goats.

Braewyn looks around Sandburg's living room.  He thought TV was a thief of your time, but was given this one as a gift.  His daughters enjoyed watching it.

Victory after finishing the tour.  The house does not have air-conditioning so we were pretty warm.

In the work garage near the barn.  Guess my shirt is a little tight.  It's not maternity.

Rylan was not too sure about these goats.

Juliet warmed up quickly to the goats... on the other side of the fence!

Grandma, the boys, and some goats.

Rylan finally got his courage up and touched one!

Braewyn was working on her Junior Ranger workbook.  Do you know what color a Saanen goat is?

All smiles!

Here is your answer.

Hanging out at the salt block.

We saw chickens too. Check out that rooster!

Thank you Lord for a beautiful day!

My big girl and I had a great time.

Peaceful away from the busy pace of "real life".

"Let's go see the scarecrow, Mom!"

"Aaaahhhh, we're looking scared!"

A cold drink on a park bench.  This is the life.

Philip was excited to catch a butterfly.

Rylan says we need to go that way.

And he held on for so long, but Daddy's shoulder is just too comfortable.

Proud new members of the Junior Ranger program.

It is official. (Officially plastic!)

And Braewyn spent some of her own money to bring a goat home, too!