Back on the Ol' Homestead

Now that we're back in the DC area, we couldn't wait to go visit our favorite apple picking farm once fall rolled around. We went out to Homestead Farm with Katie and Missy, and had a nice wholesome morning at the farm. I was disappointed that there was no corn maze this year, but I guess you can't have everything.
We waited for the Pink Ladies to be ripe (plus we also wanted it to be late enough in October that we could pick out some decent pumpkins). Here, you can see that the Pink Lady trees were heavily laden and ready for the picking!
The farm has several different varieties of apples, and each row is labeled with what apple trees are planted. It was fairly late in the apple season, so only Pink Lady, Braeburn, and Fuji apples were ripe. Last weekend was actually the last weekend the farm had apple picking available.

Every time I get out to the trees, I always wonder if I remember correctly which apple is my favorite. Here, I'm sampling a Braeburn apple, and while they are very good and sweet, I stand by the crisp sweet/tart combination that you get with the Pink Lady. Dave and I saw Pink Lady apples on only a few occasions in Poland - they were always imported and highly overpriced, and yet we still went ahead and bought out the produce lady's stand every time she had them. Since these apples under a dollar a pound, we went ahead and got a full bushel. I assume there will be Thanksgiving pies in the future, and the apples will keep in the fridge for several months (wohoo!!).
I did pick out a nice carving pumpkin for when we get back from Megan's wedding, along with a mini pumpkin which is sitting in our window with some other Halloween decorations (Pictures to come closer to Halloween). My major prize was finding a "Boo" pumkin (or a white skin pumpkin). I was on the lookout for one, but they didn't have any with the other pumpkins. I finally spotted a boo pumkin in the farm store display, and after a quick chat with the check out girl, the pumpkin was mine. Of course, it was only after this that I learned that the farm has a boo pumpkin patch, and that I could have had all the boo pumpkins I wanted had we taken the hay ride out to the patch.

The farm had some of the amazing Pumpkin Masters carving pumkins. I decided to do a very challenging pattern, but I used one of the hobby store pumpkins so that my work won't go to waste and I can use it another year.
We actually went back to the Renaissance festival after the farm with Missy in tow. Dave had left one of his glass dragons with the glass blower to be repaired so we needed to go back, and when Missy expressed interest we decided to go ahead and enjoy the fair for one last weekend. I made the mistake of taking Missy to Nobless Oblige to show her the gowns I had been admiring last weekend. If you'll recall from the last posting, I tried on one of their gowns last weekend in order to determine my size (the gown I put on was one size too big). I filed away my correct gown size and thought to myself that a custom order would be more fun since I really wanted a dress in burgundy, like this dress from Dangerous Beauty.

So of course, I walk in and there on the rack is a burgundy dress in my size. Since Missy decided to try on the gown, I figured what the heck, and tried on the gown. It was so beautiful and perfect!! Words cannot describe - it had a steel boning bodice, a stomacher to allow for changes in dress size with a wooden busk, it was 100% silk (with very little slubbing which makes it more authentic), it had beautiful appliques that looked like embroidery, and the back bustled up to give the dress the same 'poof' as the movie dress. It is THE dress I've always wanted (and no, I can't make my own...there's currently no pattern that comes even close to this). I think I stayed looking at myself in the mirror for a good half an hour. It was incredibly hard to put the gown back, but the three digit price tag (that was way too close to a four digit price tag) was completely out of my reach. I guess I'll start saving up for next year (I like the Esmerelda combined with a matching Melisandra).

Dave and I are now off for Megan's wedding in Colorado (it's on the 25th, but I need prep time)!