Going for two...

I was almost tempted to wait till November 1st to post my next rambling entry just so I could keep up with my 'Post-Per-Month' quota, but ye olde Apple Pickin' waits for no one.


I decided to take a break from work and stroll (or in my case drive) on down to the local apple orchard. The closest one to my house, being gas-conscious and all, was Pennings Farm.


Here you can find everything and anything your imagination can drum up (well, almost everything... although maybe that's what the Petting Zoo is for). I'm better at pictures than blogs so I'll just go ahead and let the photographs lead the way for this entry.

First off...


Pumpkins! Lots...


And lots...


Of 'em. Oh, yeah... and corn stalks.


For all those things you need to do that require... corn stalks. Seriously, who buys these? The more interesting part of the wasted hour between Flash and After Effects work for me was this...


So, long ago the Pennings Orchard was run by... you guessed it! The Pennings family. And they use to live on the premises. About five or six years ago they moved out of the house and boarded it up. Then someone had the brilliant idea to use it during the fall as the orchard's very own Haunted House.


And yes... I have been in it. Many years ago and to be honest... it doesn't look any different (although I don't remember the knights). Unfortunately, it was closed up today, laying in wait for the weekend and the hordes of people that trek out here from NYC and NJ. However, I did venture as far as the front patio... or should I say I was lured there by a cute, fluffy (possibly ghostly) kitten that vanished into thin air as I rounded the corner and came upon this gruesome scene.


Yes... those are Boy Scouts. And yes... they did apparently eat one of their own (probably a counselor).


And yes... they are drinking hard liquor.


And what Haunted House would be complete without a graveyard filled with clever epitaphs? So, back to the Teddy Bear... He, apparently, was one of several creatures that didn't make it to this year's Haunted House. He and his buddies lay strewn out on the table in a more-or-less defunct greenhouse in the back amid the house plants and marigolds.



Soon to join the ranks will be good ol' Grandpa. For now, he hangs out in front with a sign warning folks to 'not touch' and muttering nearly inaudible ramblings about 'ladies' and 'doors'.


But here's something you can touch (although I guess most parents would be horrified at the idea). Turkeys! Goats (they like eating leaves)!



They use to have a cow but I guess it was moved after eating one to many articles of clothing.