Fall Back

What better thing than an entire season to remind us to bundle up, ponder, admire then "out with the old" and await the bloom of the new? I love fall for all of these reasons (except when the temps dip below freezing, which they are known to do in Indiana).

Last night Matt and I went to hear Deepak Chopra speak. As slick and oh so So Cal as he is, he seems to "get it". One notable quote from the evening is that birth and death are mere punctuation points in this particular presence. Life is all the grammar, syntax, content, etc. in between, but is not the whole story. Seems so easy for us to accept this concept when it comes to the leaves and trees in the fall--we can have some certainty that it is just a punctuation point in the year and that, barring any reversal in global warming, spring will arrive and rebirth will take place. It's so dang hard, however, to accept the same for ourselves! But, if fall does anything for me, it sends me searching inward...and searching the web for spiritual retreats in the area!

As is tradition for us, we headed down to Bloomington and Brown County. Usually we stay the night in the hotel as a much needed escape from the home, but, since we recently moved back into our house, we did not have a high enough cabin fever to warrant an overnight stay (not to mention, I could get a brand new pair of shoes for the same cost!--see what this economic mess has done to me?).

We also went to the pumpkin patch to select the newest temporary members of the family (carving to take place this weekend!).

Such a big girl!
No, you're not seeing things re: the color of the pony. We splurged on two laps around the trail so each girl got to ride two different ponies.

Willow's first selection. This pony preferred RUNNING on the trail so Matt had a bit of exercise (and I had a minor heart attack). Willow, on the other hand, had a bit of saddle sore for a few days following!

I'd love to have heard this conversation!

This is the same weekend we've gone every year and yet, it's the greenest (you can compare to past posts). Enough about ice caps melting...where are our colorful October leaves?

Pleasant ride home for all.

I think every parent has a picture like this!


Pumpkin Patch!!

Waiting to enter the inflatable caterpillar (about as far from a pumpkin patch activity as one can get).

Incoming!
Who wouldn't love stacks of hay to climb on? Autumn loved it all, save for the hay in her shoes.

Gone are the days of the hay fights. A more mellow ride now.

Keeping up with sis.

They pretty much wanted every pumpkin they came across. It took a little more selling for Matt and I to convince them to choose nicely shaped, unmarred pumpkins.