Fall Trip To PA, part 1

Since our country still celebrates that largely irrelevant doofus Columbus, who accidentally "discovered" America half a millenia ago, Larry and I had a 3 day weekend.  Not that I am complaining about that, but it would be nice to forget Columbus and have a new holiday for someone a little more worthwhile.

Abigail running through the leaves while
my father raked them for her

Anyhow, we took an amazing mini-vacation to my parents' farm in western PA, where we were surprised to see that not only were the leaves still on the trees, but they had barely turned color!  That was unheard of in mid-October while I was growing up, a time in history when my mom designed Halloween costumes to fit over snow suits.

But it was so beautiful.  (With over 200 pictures, I am going to blog this in several entries.) On Saturday, it was one of the perfect fall days, cool but not cold and Abigail spent many fun hours with the tiny pile of leaves that had fallen (notice how much green is still on this giant red maple tree though).  Abigail loved to run through the pile of leaves, kicking them in all directions as she did and giggling maniacally as my parents feigned exasperation at having to rake the pile together again.

Yinski pretending to be irritated with Abigail
for messing up the pile of leaves

It is like trying to locate
E.T., but without all of
the stuffed animals!

She is such a joyful child!!

Interesting look

It is a shame we don't have
a happier child!

What is going on in her head right now?

My mother gave her the idea of throwing leaves at me.
Abigail thought she was pretty bad-ass to do this!