corn maze

I uploaded some more pictures from Columbus Day weekend and was reminded that we also went to Mike's Maze on one of the clearest and more beautiful Autumn days I have experienced. Farming is a difficult livelihood in our modern times and more and more farms are need to diversify to make a living and stay on the land. One farm in the area makes and amazing corn maze each year (take a look at aerial photos here) and has a few weeks in Autumn when they are packed with visitors.

They sell pumpkins and squash and have a "corn cafe" with grilled corn on the cob, caramel apples and the like. Miryam was especially enamored with the pony rides. She's decided that we should take riding lessons together in the spring and I am all for it. There is a local farm that forms classes based on skill, not age, which would put us in the same class to start.


The maze was actually more fun last year - the theme was music - the maze was shaped like Luis Armstrong and you had a list of familiar songs to take with you. All along the paths there were these little places where a string was hung horizontally with metal tubes hanging off it. You were given a stick and when you dragged it down the line of tubes it made music and you had to name the song from your list. (did that all make sense?). Each tube was a different note and if you dragged the stick at the same speed the distance between the tubes would create the right pauses and rhythms. It was so much fun. This year you mostly got points for finding each of the boxes as you went around. There wasn't much of a game too it. Apparently the farmer's son (who used to design the games) went off to college... We did get enough points, however, to take out own pumpkin home. Miryam has claimed it as the first pie pumpkin of the season.


This year we spent much less time in the maze and much more time playing in the bales of hay. I remember reading Sarah Plain and Tall as a child and because she missed sliding down the sand dunes in Maine they set her up a hay-slide instead. Well we had out own hay slide and it was great but boy do those bits of pointy hay get into your clothes! I think the writers of those romantic stories that talk about young lover taking a "tumble in the hay loft" have clearly not tried it themselves. Ouch!

p.s. I know that all the photos are of mimi but it was one of those family-visit weekends where all the pictures seem to be posed...