----- Original Message ----- From: "Rafael Martinez" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'Cynthia Groopman'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2008 11:35 AM Subject: Halloween Stuff
> The Pumpkin Patch > Years ago, when the girls were small, besides the trick or treating of > Halloween, a highlight in October was visiting the pumpkin patch. We > usually > saved this special outing for the Saturday before Halloween. If memory > serves me correctly, each year, the weather cooperated with sunny skies > and > fairly warm temperatures. Some years, the crisp, cool air of autumn gave > us > reason to wrap sweaters around our waists, just in case. > It was quite a long ride out to the pumpkin patch. The girls would get > anxious repeating a familiar phrase, "Are we there yet?" Outside the city > and a ways past the suburbs, we'd drive until we were out in the country > and > there, we'd find the spectacular farm all decorated for the harvest > season. > Huge scarecrows could be seen everywhere, greeting young and old alike. A > barn converted into a craft store for the occasion had all you could want > for the fall festivities. Caramel apples covered in peanuts to sink your > teeth into, cider to sip, and popcorn balls to crunch. > No trip to the pumpkin patch would be complete without a good old > fashioned > hay ride. The farmer's tractor pulled the long, wooden seated vehicle out > into the middle of the patch as the children sang songs.The ride was > bumpy, > the songs were severely off key, but the giggle of happy children always > made for a joyful ride. > When we reached our destination, the kids were instructed to only pick a > pumpkin they were able to carry. Of course, it never failed. Bill and I > would each be lugging an oversized Jack-O-Lantern back to where the > tractor > waited. > I fondly remember all the fun on a far away piece of farmland where the > weather signaled the end of summer and the beginning of frost filled > nights. > The other day, Bill and I took a ride that found us passing the same place > we picked pumpkins with the kids. Sadly, we witnessed its demise with no > signs of the traditional Halloween happenings. > Apparently, the farmland has been gone for a long time. It is now a > sub-division with clusters of homes scattered all around the area. The > only > trace of hay, apple cider and friendly faced scarecrows to welcome us are > in > the memories of two aging parents and their now grown daughters. > These days, we purchase our pumpkins at the local grocery store. Lately, > we > have resorted to painting on smiling faces instead of carving them. They > are > quite smaller than the gargantuan gourds our children use to choose. > Autumn is a special time of caring and sharing. It's a time to be thankful > for the harvest that we reap, both nutritional and spiritual. In the > harvest > of our lives, I am grateful for the bounty of love and memories that are > mine to forever cherish. > --Kathy Whirity > Today's Poem > It's Halloween! > It's Halloween! It's Halloween! > The moon is full and bright > And we shall see what can't be seen > On any other night. > Skeletons and ghosts and ghouls, > Grinning goblins fighting duels, > Werewolves rising from their tombs, > Witches on their magic brooms. > In masks and gowns > we haunt the street > And knock on doors > for trick or treat. > Tonight we are > the king and queen, > For oh tonight, > it's Halloween! > --Jack Prelutsky > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/DBILG?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
