A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned how I don’t live far from a couple of pumpkin farms, which make for a great weekend activity. However, this means that I live far from everything else…
Luckily, I have a lovely group of friends who made the trip out here to go pumpkin picking; something we also haven’t done in the years we’ve known each other. I remember years ago as a kid that this one specific farm had a big field filled with pumpkins, apples and other fruits I couldn’t remember. To my lovely surprise, the farm we went to ended up going to was the same one from my childhood: Willow View Farms!
What was my goal this week?
This specific group of friends and myself don’t get the chance to meet up as often as we’d like anymore. Some of us have graduated, some work full time, some are still in their studies, which makes scheduling a little more difficult that we’d like. So, whenever we land on a date that lines up, we try to spend the whole day together and try as much as we can. So, my goal this week? To just spend time doing Halloween activities with my friends and to (try) carve a pumpkin. Also as a personal goal, I wanted to attend a local Halloween swing dancing event since I haven’t been able to keep up with that hobby lately. (Yes, I used to swing dance a few years ago and since I work evenings, it has become more difficult to attend. So, I try to attend whenever I have the rare chance.)
How did it go?
It was sunny and filled with lots of pumpkins…and goats. My friends came out and we met for brunch at a cafe. Soon after we were struck with surprisingly nice weather and we headed out to the patch.
The farm was actually a lot bigger than I remember and was filled with people. Something I really like about my friends is their eagerness to try new things and to make the most of the day. Aside from picking pumpkins, we visited the petting area that had an oddly large amount of goats, had some hot cider, walked through the apple and pear trees, ate some corn, tried out a corn canon (yes, you shoot corns/pumpkins out of a makeshift canon), and went through some rather big corn mazes.
While the goat started chewing on my hair and my friend almost let them out of the gate, it was a fun experience trying out the Fall activities we usually tend to skip. At the end of the night, we all ended up carving our pumpkins at home and shared them with each other later online.
How did I do it?
A big thanks to my friends for coming out, so it was kinda them who made it possible. We picked this farm based on the fact that I had already been to Maan farms a couple weeks prior; so it was a nice surprise visiting something nostalgic but still enjoyable.
A little update to my personal goal: for the swing dancing event the next day, it was encouraged to arrive in costume. To commit myself into going, I bought a ticket online in advance and ordered a quick Halloween costume online. In a way, I know staying home to relax would feel nice, but I wanted to push myself to go dancing again because I know I like it and should attend when I can. Once I made sure my costume fit, I did my hair and makeup and headed out into the chilly evening.
How do I feel?
Satisfied and happy. Not only because I got to see my friends again, but because I got to partake in activities that I haven’t done in a long time (pumpkin carving, dressing up, feeding goats, dance, etc.) I guess it was like experiencing this sense of nostalgia while making new memories all over again. While the feeling can be bittersweet, it’s something I cherish and love deeply.
Next week’s goal
Halloween comes to an end, but that means winter is around the corner. Next week, I want to practice doing something that I probably should know by now and could help me out in the long run; change my winter tires by hand. While I will be getting help from a friend, I want to learn how to properly do it so I can do it myself down the road!
Song of the Week