My mom had us come up to Spring City to put all of the apples and plums they had left at the end of the season into pies. Nora was such a great sport, stirring bowls and sorting apple peels all through our marathon day of baking. Grandma even made her a tiny pie of her very own.
Every time we drive down to Spring City to visit my parents, I see the sign for the Big Red Barn and its “world’s best ice cream.” This time we finally stopped and checked it out. It was packed with people, and was a little more of a commercial operation than I expected (I guess I thought it would be a more rustic mom-and-pop situation). In addition to fruit, fudge, and baked goods, they sell old-fashioned candies and the sort of country-cute tchotchkes you might see at Kneaders or Gardner Village. Of course, we did get some tasty fresh creamery ice cream cones.
They had a little area on one side of the barn set up with hay bales and pumpkins, and there was a whole family camped out on the bales, getting holiday photos taken. I couldn’t resist snapping a few of Nora before we left.
Nora is crazy about Grandma, but I think she might be even crazier about Grandma’s trampoline.
For one brief, sunny day, a glorious chicken named Andre was part of our lives. RIP, little buddy.
I have to admit, I just stole these photos from Spring City’s Heritage Days festival right off Valori‘s Facebook page. They had to be free, for all the world to see. Sorry, Valori.
Nora loves visiting my parents in Spring City–even when she has to trek to the animal pens with her feet falling right out of their too-big Hello Kitty galoshes.
My dad had the awesome idea of pulling Nora around their property in a sled. She loved it, even when one too-sharp turn spilled her out onto the road. She just got right back in the sled and started chanting, “fast, fast!”
Nora quickly put her new table to good use: becoming a genius.
Here’s Nora, bumming around at home while we threw the last few items in our suitcases. Since we almost crashed on our way to Spring City, this might have been the last picture of Nora, ever. Do I even have to say how glad I am that it wasn’t?
Sarah gave Nora this adorable tutu. The vest is also from Sarah, actually. What a good aunt, right?
The table and chairs are from my parents. Unfortunately, they made Nora grow up about four months in five minutes…but she loves them.
I’m so thankful we caught Aunt Sarah on film.
