The Lisa Link: Laurie Visits; Mom and Dad Camp with Kids

Lots of green yet, because of all the oaks

It's a glorious day here in Colfax... the farm fields and wooded hills are a patchwork of fall color. Blue skies and every shade of red, gold, and rust. It's warm and breezy, and my sheets are flapping on the clothesline outside.

Those are "Chinese paper lanterns" in vase

Nights are hovering around the 30 degree mark, but we haven't had a hard frost yet so things are still growing in my garden. I've picked most of the vegetables and will be busy drying and freezing peppers this week.

I'm a seasonal person, so the house is all decked out for autumn... I even have some Halloween things out. By November everyone will be very glad to see my orange and black stuff disappear... but then it will be replaced by red and green stuff, of course!

This weekend my sister Laurie came for a visit and stayed two nights. We were both really looking forward to the time together.

Laurie and Emma

Bill and Scott came over Saturday to join us for lunch. After we ate we took the kids to Pleasant Valley for some seasonal fun.

Scott, Bill, me holding Leila, Emma in front

Pleasant Valley is a tree farm, but in the fall they sell a wide variety of pumpkins and gourds (and apples). They have hay rides, a corn maze, a "spooky trail", and all kinds of outdoor activities for kids. They have a gift shop, but of course that's of no particular interest to me (ha ha). You can drink apple cider or eat a candy apple.

These kids are getting big!

They must have raised their prices, though... things seemed expensive and maybe a little too gimmicky this year. I don't know if we'll go again next year... still, Leila really enjoyed herself and seemed the perfect age for this kind of outing.

Bill and Emma making friends

I was telling Laurie that places like Pleasant Valley had more appeal (and novelty) for us when we lived in town. Now that we live in the country we can grow our own pumpkins and gourds, access free apples from our neighbor's orchard, and see and pet all the farm animals we want.We have our own hay bales to climb, and one of our neighbors throws an awesome Halloween party for kids with a much spookier "spooky trail" than Pleasant Valley's (the ghosts and monsters are disguised parents who actually jump out at the kids).

Look at that view!

Anyway, after our outing we drove to Menomonie to see Bill and Scott's new apartment. We were impressed with the view from the second story balcony; it overlooks a wooded valley and has a vacation-home feel. They are within easy walking / biking distance from campus, so I think they found a pretty good place.

A month or so ago my parents took our two oldest children, Michael and Emma, on a 2-day camping trip to Copper Falls. Dad rented a pop-up camper for the occasion. Since I didn't actually go along on the trip, I'll just post a few pictures without much narration. (I will say I was pleased to hear Emma say, after the trip, "I felt like I got to know Grandpa better." I think both sets of travelers-- the older and the younger-- enjoyed the trip).