Autumn

It's my favorite season. Even though I'm still not convinced that we're completely free of 90-plus degree days around here, I think I'll admit that it is indeed autumn. We kicked off the best season with a trip to the pumpkin patch, this year checking out Vollmer Farm. The place was a mecca of fall goodness. The highlight was that I got to ride the cow train with Evelyn.


The only downside? Yet another disappointing fake cow-milking station, as seen so often at all sorts of fall events. Can a girl milk a real cow or what? And they were out of hot apple cider. Who runs out of hot apple cider?! But it was really quite fun. I got four little round pumpkins to carve... or paint... or something. I'll figure it out before Halloween I'm sure.

We arrived chronically early, as we sometimes do, which wasn't so bad because it allowed us time to browse the country store, sample some farm-fresh ice cream, and let Evelyn explore the gourds and pumpkins galore. When dusk started to creep in, we all (the whole NC Bartel/Lingenfelser gang) headed out to Wake Forest for some yummy pizza.

Today Evelyn is home with her first bona fide fever and Jonathan and I are tag-teaming it so he can get some things done at the office this morning and I can do a home visit and see a client in the clinic this afternoon. I'm sure she'll be fine but it's never fun to see a little one feeling sad, tired, and uncomfortable. Poor little mouse.