be happy for this moment.

I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself,
than be crowded on a velvet cushion.
Henry David Thoreau

Yesterday, using my ever trusty buy one, get one admission free Groupon I headed out with my friend Sarah to Eckert's in Millstadt, Illinois. I've always heard of Eckert's and purchase their produce, canned foods and fresh eggs at the Kirkwood Farmers Market but I'd never ventured over to "the other side of the river" to visit.

In the fall, their Millstadt location (one of three) is a big, fun fall festival with rides, a petting zoo, games and, of course, plenty of pumpkins! Another fun part, and something that you don't find in Florida, were the apple orchards. I'd never picked an apple, and really, I don't think I've ever seen an apple tree in real life. We took the tracker out to the orchard and picked a bag, then headed to the pumpkin patch from there. A few pumpkins, some fresh cider and homemade kettle corn in our wagon and we were out of there.

It was hot, not fall whether at all, but fun! I can't wait to carve my pumpkins with a few ideas I have up my sleeve.

Golden Delicious apples in the orchard.

With Sarah and our fresh picked Fugi apples.

Claiming a pumpkin. But really, we didn't want to haul it back on the tractor so we left them in the field and bought them at the store near the exit gate.

View from the look out (you can see the tractor we rode heading out to the orchards and fields) - in the distance you can see downtown St. Louis and the Arch.

With my pile 'o pumpkins.