Scarecrows, Sunflowers and Face-painting: Another Story from the Farm

 

If you are a regular reader of our blog, you will know that we went to Bates Nut Farm in Valley Center, California the day the pumpkin patch opened several weeks ago.  I took so many pictures that I’ve divided it up into several posts and Scarecrows, Sunflowers and Face-painting:  Another Story from the Farm is just that – another story from the farm!

But, I have a confession to make:  we went back.  Yep.  We went to Bates Nut Farm again.  As if we don’t already have enough pumpkins around our house or as if we aren’t already filled with the Halloween spirit, we had to go back for more!  How can you say “no” when a niece says to you, “Auntie Carole, I want to go to Bates Nut Farm.  Will you go with me?”  That niece, Samantha, wasn’t able to go the first time around.  And, since she is the aunt to the Princesses P, she wanted to experience Bates Nut Farm with her young nieces.

I couldn’t begrudge her that.  I know exactly how she feels.  I remember many trips, over the last 25 years, to Bates Nut Farm with nieces, nephews and other little people, special family friends.  That’s the magic and the beauty of a place like Bates Nut Farm – the opportunity to see the world of the pumpkin patch all over again through the eyes of a young child.

And, although more crowded the second time than the first, Bates Nut Farm did not disappoint!  Another gloriously beautiful and hot autumn day, pumpkins strewn everywhere and plenty to do to keep young children active.  So, the pictures of the scarecrows and sunflowers are from our first visit (sadly, the sunflowers are now gone!) and the photos of face-painting are from our most recent visit.

Charlie and I arrived first.  We were waiting by the food trucks (great place to mill around, especially if you are on a diet), when from behind I’m tackled by a 3-year-old!  I love that feeling – a young child, running full force and colliding right into your legs, catching you completely off guard!  Seriously; I’m not lying – I love it!  It makes me feel so special and so loved!  I leaned down and kissed her and whispered, “Princess Sweetie Pie, I love it when you tackle me; you can do it anytime.”  She giggled that wonderful, sweet innocent giggle of youth.

Every year, Bates Nut Farm has a Scarecrow Contest.  You can enter your scarecrow in the contest and then mid-month, they judge them  and award prizes.  So, the second time we went to Bates Nut Farm, there were even more scarecrows!  It’s such a fun idea for children and there were several scarecrows submitted by Girl Scout troops.  What a great project for a troop!

 

 

 

 

 

 

This fancy scarecrow is in front of The Farmer’s Daughter, one of the retail stores at Bates Nut Farm.  I love her!  She’s so exotic with her red hair, her flowing lacy dress and floral crown in autumnal colors!  Plus she’s holding a sunflower and she has her face-painted!  She encapsulates the title of this post:  Scarecrows, Sunflowers and Face-painting!

Look at these next pictures.  They are so glorious!  I can’t believe I took them!  Trust me, sweet peeps, it’s not that I know what I’m doing.  Even though I’ve had this fancy, dancy camera about 10 months, I’m really, truly only using the point and shoot setting.  I promise that in the new year, I’ll learn more about what my camera can do and post even more spectacular photos.  But, these pictures just make me believe in my heart of hearts that I need a field of sunflowers!  I have the room; we have 8 acres.  I just have to figure out how to get water to them!  In other words, I need the money to hire a crew to dig ditches and lay water lines to get water to the sunflowers!  Sigh…it’ll have to wait…

These sunflowers were planted beside the Straw Maze and the light of the early afternoon just made them glow…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tiffany wasn’t able to join us on the second trip to Bates Nut Farm.  But, she sent the Princesses P along with their Auntie Samantha (also my niece) and their grandmother, Gigi (Gail, my sister), Tiffany’s and Samantha’s mother.  Tiffany gave the girls some money to spend on anything they wanted to do or buy and this trip, they both wanted to have their faces painted!  So, we did!  Except for Charlie, a manly-man who would have no part of that!

 

 

First up was Princess Sweetie Pie.  She’s so serious!

 

 

 

 

Now, it’s Princess P’s turn…

 

 

 

 

 

And now, Auntie Samantha…

 

 

 

 

 

And now Gigi (which is actually GG – Grandma Gail)…

 

 

 

 

And now, me…we did this in age order from youngest to oldest (me).  Don’t know how that happened!  It wasn’t planned…

 

 

Since I’m the photographer in this group, there wasn’t an easy way to take a picture of my face-painting!  I tried to give Samantha a brief lesson on how to use my fancy, dancy camera and this was the best picture of the 4 she took (had my eyes closed in a couple and others were blurry).  So, when I got home, I decided to try to take a picture of my face-painting in our bathroom mirror before I washed it off…

 

 

I took about 30 photos in the mirror, most with my eyes closed.  I’m sure that’s the natural response to taking a picture with a camera – to close your one eye!  So the photo below is me attempting to keep my one eye opened!  I could only do it when I opened my mouth!  What’s up with that?  Can’t open my eye and keep my mouth closed?

 

 

Scary, huh?  Hope I made you laugh!

Tootles,

 

Related Posts:

(other posts about the pumpkin patch)

• Blue Pumpkins
• In Search of the Great Pumpkin
• Nuts at the Nut Farm
• Pony Rides, Playtime and Pumpkins
• Princess P Picks a Pumpkin
• Princess Sweetie Pie Picks a Pumpkin
• Pumpkin Season
• Straw Maze and Lazy Daze
• The Sweet Life:  A Candy Dish by Mud Pie