Hey little apple blossom

Since we actually have a REAL FALL this year,  and we have a toddler, we've already been to Apple Hill three times. And have many more excursions planned...a ride along train, petting zoo, and hay maze never sounded so fun!

Lucy loves everything. So yeah, it's fun.

A visit to High Hill ranch always means an apple fritter for the grown ups.

Lucy could see fish in the pond, which makes her do her kissy face and get really excited.

Just wandering around the orchard, taking bites of rotten apples...you know.

The next time we went was for my mama's birthday September 25; we stopped for apple doughnuts at Boa Vista Orchards and Lucy got to pick out her first tiny pumpkin. It seemed fitting, given my last post, that my mother's birthday fell on a perfectly autumnal day. And that I was with her, and my daughter, whose first beginnings took place in my own mother's body, was with her, and my future daughter as well. And by the way, thank you for all your beautiful and inspiring comments about my ramblings. I felt such sisterhood, whether across the oceans or across the plains, to you wise and wondrous women. Anyway, the pumpkins...

She had just woken from a nap, the wind was in her hair, and she was trying a doughnut....lots to process.

my lady-folk.

Then an impromptu trip up the hill to get apples for my next pie. I think I'm becoming a pie baker. But I'll only do it on cool days, so I'm crossing my fingers for rain Wednesday!

When I say, "let's go bye bye," she runs to the door now.

wearing a maternity top my grandma cherie made for my mom in the 70s. the eleusinian wheel keeps turning. (and addie's famous white maternity shorts. she had a hard time letting these babes go)

it was a strange afternoon. lucy was (of course) absolutely gleeful about everything, which often makes everyone around us smile, but people were downright grumpy. one lady literally looked at me, looked down at my cheerfully toddling child, and frowned. i shrugged it off, and of course you never know what's going on in someone's world, but still. look out or i'll cast a spell on you!

(or this happy little sprite will.)

waiting in line for blackberry pie.

this is how she does a ghost sound. she has little sounds associated with all the typical halloween figures: a witch has a wild cackle (my pops taught her that one and it's hilarious) a ghost makes a warbly "ooo ooo ooo" and of course the owl says "who who" but in her raspy-ish voice it's more like a low pitched OWH OWH.

Isn't October the dreamiest? Hope you've all got a place like Apple Hill to whisk you right into the cozy arms of autumn.