Autumn days, simple pleasures

These are my most favorite days of all. Crisp air, crunchy leaves and autumn colors. A couple Sundays ago we tossed the kayak in the back of Matt's new Tacoma and drove to the local county park. The girls took turns paddling around the quarry with Dad.

That same weekend we visited a local orchard and picked two pecks of honeycrisp apples. As soon as we returned home Matt immediately got to work making Paula Deen's apple fried pies. Jo sprinkled the powdered sugar on top and Mom savored every bite of the sweet treat.

This week Jo's class went to the pumpkin farm and Coryn's class visited the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center. Jo got her first bee sting after swatting at one buzzing around her face. She's been wary of bees ever since. The highlights of Coryn's field trip were searching for frogs in the pond and waving a red streamer while singing: Chlorophyll, chlorophyll go away! Let the colors come out to play.

Mallory still makes her Go! Go! Outside! demands every waking moment. Too soon ice and biting winds will keep us indoors. Until then, she and I are happy partners taking our daily walks or bike rides to neighborhood playgrounds.