Festival, Field, Farm, and Forest

Festival

The Bedford Fall Foliage Festival could also be named "The Bedford Fall Mass of Humanity Festival". It is that rare occasion where I happily enter into a congested sea of people. On the 2019 Saturday that my wife and I walked the streets of Bedford, the weather was awesome autumn. Everyone and their autumn mother was sipping on apple cider and searching for Christmas gifts. 

My wife and I have treated the Bedford Fall Foliage Festival as our Christmas wonderland. She creates this Santa-style spreadsheet of relatives that have been nice over the last year. I wander thru tents using gut reactions that spruce up in the autumn air. We hold hands as long as we can. Not out of love, but out of safety. It's like Bedford bumper cars on those streets. 

Our pumpkinhead kids did not attend the Fall Foliage of 2019 because they had a scheduled sleepover at their grandparents' residence. Good for them. 

Field

In a land called Schellsburg, there are bison. Upon leaving Bedford, you can quickly adventure out of the mass of people to view the massive beast that is the bison. Standing upon a hillside, one glorious bison was visible from Route 30. Across the street, there is The Bison Corral, a gift shop for the ages. A part of me wanted to be more National Geographic and be in the field with the bison. My wife wanted no part of that. Alas, we walked into the commercial corral. 

I did not make a purchase, but I could have bought Native American artifacts, a coffee mug, and pounds of bison meat. Talk about sprucing up somebody's Christmas. I appreciate small businesses like The Bison Corral. If you find yourself on Route 30, I recommend a stop and the view. 

Also, according to the website, bison can run up to 35 MPH and weigh up to 2,000 pounds. Listen to your wives and stay out of the field. 

Farm

This October Saturday finished at Summer Smiles Honey Farm. Our first Saturday of October was a kid-free autumn adventure so we obviously concluded it by slumbering on a honey farm. In Stoystown, Summer Smiles Honey Farm is there for the taking in all four seasons. 

There are multiple lodging options on this property. We stayed in the "Tiny House". Tiny it twas and it twas terrific. In contrast, the surrounding acreage was expansive and for exploration. I made barnyard friends - human and animal. We shared parenting tips with a couple expecting their first child. I befriended goats. We awoke to Cock-A-Doodle-Doo. Fireside chats occurred outside our chalet. The stars shined. I looked up into the night sky and thought about my kids. 

I thought, if we ever come back here, they can sleep at their grandparents' again. 

Forest

On Sunday, I got back to my roots - my Stackhouse park roots. My daughters have become trail blazers under my tutelage. My 4-year-old understands the concept of Leave No Trace. My 2-year-old sometimes understands that large sticks can be weapons. 

In surrounding countryside communities and neighborhood nature, there is always an opportunity to learn and explore. 

Part 2 of Festival, Field, Farm and Forest will be written later this October. Hold on to your horses and pumpkins.