SC249 -- Organic Grace

Man, was I tired last night. Chasing after an almost 5-year-old through an orchard on a blustery fall day will do that to you. Sister and The Bug were up yesterday and we made what has become our annual autumn pilgrimage to Eplegaarden, an apple orchard and pumpkin patch only a few miles from me. It was two weeks later than we usually go, and despite heavy overcast skies and a bitter wind, there was a pretty good crowd for a cold October day. We first traipsed up the hill for apples. I had heard it was a really good year for apples and oranges, but even so I was surprised at how heavy with fruit the trees were. Some of the boughs were so laden with large, red apples the boughs drooped on the ground. It took no time at all to fill their ten-pound bag almost to overflowing with red delicious, golden delicious and gala apples.

We next embarked on a short hay ride around the farm. "Hay ride" is actually a bit of a misnomer as there was nary a blade of hay to be found in the horse-drawn wagon, but we had a good time nonetheless. The Bug made friends with a little girl about her age while waiting for our ride, and both girls got to help handle the reins. After our ride, we next went through "Harold Potterson's Hallowed Haunts and Harried Hunts." Pretty cheesy, but the little "wizards and witches" seemed to love it, especially the inflated haunted castle and maize maze. The latter had shorter corn stalks than one usually finds in a corn maze, so that the smaller kids wouldn't be two scared in their search for the "goblet of fire" -- which turned out to be a black cauldron filled with black and orange nylon ribbons. There was also a "quidditch" field and a game where you threw apples and tried to knock a sucker out of Dudley's hand. As I said, rather cheesy if you're an adult, but the kids all seemed to have fun.

After two and a half hours out in the cold, I was glad to return to the warmth of my apartment (and since they finally got the heat regulated round about last Thursday, it has indeed been toasty warm in here). I climbed into my pajamas, then into bed with a book to try to get warm. Around 7pm I was going to watch a movie, but quickly abandoned that idea. My next door neighbors had guests, one of whom seemed to be turning somersaults off the furniture and ramming into my wall. Whatever happened to teaching kids manners and consideration for others? I understand small children have a lot of energy (some more than others), but seriously--is it fair to make your neighbors suffer your child or young guest's bad behavior? So, instead of the movie I wanted to watch, I ended up back in the bedroom reading and working on the computer for a couple hours, then watching a movie on TCM in here at 9:30pm, one I had not seen before, The Wreck of the Mary Deare. Good movie. Boats, sabotage and mystery...what more could one want in a movie?


While waiting for Sis and The Bug to arrive this morning (naturally they were later than they said they would be...shocker!), I whipped up a couple fall birthday cards, again using last week's sketch, SC249. I can't believe I'd not used this set before today. It was a free hostess set I got last year. I randomly stamped the flower across the bottom and around edges of top portion of the card base in More Mustard. I also sponged around the edges of the image panel with the same color.





Stamps: Organic Grace (Stampin' Up)
Paper: White (Wausau Paper); Yellow, Patterned (DCWV)
Ink: More Mustard
Accessories: Brads