Fall Fun

I've been taking annual trips to the "Apple Farm" every Fall since I was a child. We would pack the station wagon with 8 kids, two parents and sometimes a friend or two squished in as well. Before the days of car seats and seat belt laws, three or four kids would be sitting on the floor of the "way back", while small children sat on the laps of the bigger ones in the back seat. When we arrived we would head straight for the bin full of free apples, and then we'd starting begging for do-nuts, penny candy, candy apples...anything sweet and forbidden. It was an Autumn celebration that we never missed.

Today, we took the girls to the same apple farm to spend some time with Nana and Grampy. It's fun to experience my memories again through their eyes. The girls started their "candy" bargaining before we even left the house. "If I'm really, really, good and don't fight with Amy at all can I get a candy apple? What about some popcorn, too? And maybe a do-nut?" After we arrived and made our purchases, we sat on the rock wall outside while we ate our treats. It's the same wall that we used to sit on 20 years ago. Amy took two bites of her candy apple and then decided that it wasn't so great after all. Grampy ran back in and bought her a box of popcorn. Then she decided that she was thirsty. Grampy ran in and bought her a cup of juice. Beth didn't want her popcorn anymore, and asked for a candy apple instead. Grampy went back in and got her a candy apple. Then Beth felt a little thirsty, and Grampy headed to the store to get more juice. Funny, I don't remember him being quite so accomodating when I was Beth's age, but maybe my memories are just fading...

We ended the afternoon with a "hay ride". As we bounced along through the apple orchards, up and down hills, I glanced over at Beth's face. Her smile was so genuine, and her eyes were so bright. No matter that there wasn't a single piece of hay in sight. She was making memories at the "Apple Farm". And I'm adding another memory too.