Pitiful Pumpkin Patch
It's Fall. Time for apple cider, mulled wine and pumpkins. Every year, Rob and I head to the pumpkin patch to pick up a few choice pumpkins for carving, stock up on apple cider donuts, and enjoy roasted corn on the cob. At least we USED to do that. When we lived in the midwest. Let me tell you something about the midwest, those people know how to do Fall! The pumpkin patch we used to go to was heaven on earth for people like me who like seasonal activites...hay rides, corn mazes, etc.
Last Sunday Rob, Cuca and I hopped in the car and made the 1+ hour trek up to Julian (famous for pies). Cuca was geared up in her halloween costume and we had our camera ready for some great family photos. Rob did some research ahead of time and found "the best pumpkin patch in Southern California". I think I will let the photo below speak for itself.
Yes, your eyes are not deceiving you. There are TWO pumpkins in the patch (the two by the "Pumpkin Patch" sign were not real). What a bunch of malarkey their website fed us, along with several other intrepid travelers that drove up from San Diego. I looked like a kid at Christmas who opens a big box only to find a lump of coal inside. If it was socially acceptable, I probably would have cried and beat my fists against the ground. However, it is not socially acceptable (I asked Rob if maybe this one time I could do it, and he said no); and, not only that, but there were all these kids there who looked even more disappointed than me, which I did not think was possible. So, it was even more important for me to keep my cool.
Fortunately, there was a couple there that told all of us about another pumpkin patch about 20 minutes away. A place with a corn maze, hayrides, and *GASP* PUMPKINS! Rob and I practically knocked over all the kids as we sprinted to the car. We could not risk those brats getting there first and stealing MY perfect pumpkin.
When we arrived at the second place, we saw lots of pumpkins. This was a vast improvement over the first place. Perhaps we would get our apple cider donuts and roasted corn afterall. We checked out the pumpkins, made our selections, then saddled up to the snack bar. Oh, the disappointment. Crappy popcorn (not kettle corn), grocery store donuts, and candy bars. I felt like I was at a high school football game. This is about the time Rob and I turned on each other. We were hungry and disappointed. That is a bad combination. It was a silent drive home. But at least we had 3 pumpkins ready for carving.
I guess I thought California would know how to do Fall. But, my friend Kate has set me straight: "SoCal is impossible for any seasonal activities - do yourself a favor and lower your expectations now". So, consider my expectations lowered. Next year I am making my own damn apple cider donuts.
P.S. We carved our pumpkins last Thursday night. I meticulously carved Cuca's pumpkin with her name. On Friday I dropped it and it smashed to pieces. Which is a pretty fitting end to the Halloween holiday season for us this year.
Last Sunday Rob, Cuca and I hopped in the car and made the 1+ hour trek up to Julian (famous for pies). Cuca was geared up in her halloween costume and we had our camera ready for some great family photos. Rob did some research ahead of time and found "the best pumpkin patch in Southern California". I think I will let the photo below speak for itself.
Yes, your eyes are not deceiving you. There are TWO pumpkins in the patch (the two by the "Pumpkin Patch" sign were not real). What a bunch of malarkey their website fed us, along with several other intrepid travelers that drove up from San Diego. I looked like a kid at Christmas who opens a big box only to find a lump of coal inside. If it was socially acceptable, I probably would have cried and beat my fists against the ground. However, it is not socially acceptable (I asked Rob if maybe this one time I could do it, and he said no); and, not only that, but there were all these kids there who looked even more disappointed than me, which I did not think was possible. So, it was even more important for me to keep my cool.
Fortunately, there was a couple there that told all of us about another pumpkin patch about 20 minutes away. A place with a corn maze, hayrides, and *GASP* PUMPKINS! Rob and I practically knocked over all the kids as we sprinted to the car. We could not risk those brats getting there first and stealing MY perfect pumpkin.
When we arrived at the second place, we saw lots of pumpkins. This was a vast improvement over the first place. Perhaps we would get our apple cider donuts and roasted corn afterall. We checked out the pumpkins, made our selections, then saddled up to the snack bar. Oh, the disappointment. Crappy popcorn (not kettle corn), grocery store donuts, and candy bars. I felt like I was at a high school football game. This is about the time Rob and I turned on each other. We were hungry and disappointed. That is a bad combination. It was a silent drive home. But at least we had 3 pumpkins ready for carving.
I guess I thought California would know how to do Fall. But, my friend Kate has set me straight: "SoCal is impossible for any seasonal activities - do yourself a favor and lower your expectations now". So, consider my expectations lowered. Next year I am making my own damn apple cider donuts.
P.S. We carved our pumpkins last Thursday night. I meticulously carved Cuca's pumpkin with her name. On Friday I dropped it and it smashed to pieces. Which is a pretty fitting end to the Halloween holiday season for us this year.
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