Pumpkins and Star Wars

I went straight from driving adventures to adventures with Percy. Which are much more fun. We went first to visit the pumpkin patch. I was not sure what to expect but I hopped into the car and followed Percy's guesswork directions. We pulled to the side of the road in a neighborhood in front of a fenced-in area. On the other side of the fence, I could see a building with an angry-looking Yoda and a Vader head on the side of it. Nearby, a large arching tent was labeled, "Pumpkin Arena."

We continued around the fence, and I found giant candy canes (apparently, Percy made them), Christmas trees, angels, a "Jesus is Lord" sign, and a variety of Disney cut-outs : Monsters Inc., Beauty and the Beast, Toy Story. Power Rangers as well, though they are not Disney. Percy pointed out the Polar Express, which hitched to a truck to take rides through the streets, and the access road that the camels and Clydesdales walked up. The crowning jewel, however, was the "Death Star" : a large, generally spherical gray tent.

People come to the pumpkin patch at Halloween time (for a cowboy, luau fiesta, or something like that) and at Christmas time (when they light up the trees and set off fireworks). In the past, pumpkins grew there, but now they are imported, thanks to a blight. At various times, the "Pumpkin Arena" has housed Santa Claus and an electric bull (Percy didn't last long). All this joy and fun come from a wealthy man who wanted to give something to the town.

After we had seen the pumpkin patch, Percy led the way back down steep, pot-hole-riddled roads. Instead of heading back to the Orchard, we made a side trip to the community center next door. Percy's volunteer group had run a coffee shop ministry for students at a horror art school, and I had heard so many stories. After poking around the building for a bit and seeing where things had been and what had changed, we climbed to the roof. The view was amazing. I wish I had roof access to any building here. Places above the world hold such calm and peace and perspective. I would have stayed forever in the light snow, staring at the mountains and the river and the life below us. After my whirl-wind emotions of the day, it felt good to have some calm and peace and perspective.