Our First Apple Picking & My Usual Activities

Picking fresh fruits at farms is always a favorite activity on Mama's ToDo list, so do we. Without doing any research on which farm to go, we directly went to Tougas family farm. 

The weather was perfect for apply picking, plenty of sunshine and not too hot, in the last weekend of the September. It appeared that other people thought the same thing. After waiting in a line to buy the tickets, we were in another line to wait for getting on a wagon to apple fields.

 

Will it be our turn soon?

Yeah! Let's get on.

Are we there yet?

 Ymmm, juicy apple.

 

Which one is bigger? My head or the apple?

Apple dance!

Look at our big bag, full of applies. That was a hard work from me and Lex Gege. We definitely deserved a drink break.

Baba was so relieved that we finished apple picking and were back to normal life.

 

Do you want to see some of my usual activities at home? 

我吃饱了（I am full)

Riding a horse

Follow the leader

Connecting with Nature: Mass Audubon

Going to Mass Audubon, to Mama,  it is enjoyable and relaxing; to Lex, it is fun; to Dada, it is an obligation; to me, it is intimidating, without flat concrete path and without stroller. I cried in front of the gate of Broadmoor, natick, hoping that either Dada or Mama would pick me up and hold me. However, I couldn't beat Dada's stubbornness and finally I gave up.

Along the main trail, I saw lotus leaves and flowers, bridges, roots above the ground, and I heard Lex's laugh. I started to like it.

 

 

 

 
 

Dada hold my hands to assist me to walk on big rocks. It was hard, I almost tripped. Luckily, I had a cookie in one of my hands to keep me balanced.

Hiking Adventure

 

 

 

 

What? Another Mass Audubon in the same month! Is Mama crazy!

This time, we went to Drumlin Farm in Lincoln. Actually, this mass Audubon site is Ada friendly since a stroller can be used. We met Cindy's family there.  Cindy and Lex started their preschool career at FACE on the same day. After one year, Mom switched Lex to my school. During this one year, Cindy's Dad helped to pick up Lex several times in heavy snowy days when Mom couldn't make it on time. Mama initiated the mass Audubon activity with Cindy's family, so Lex and Cindy can spend some time together again. Mama also invited them to come over to our house for dinner after Drumlin Farm.

In Drumlin Farm, first we rode on a hayride.

Then, we visited horses, cows, sheep, chickens, and rabbits.

鸡 （Chicken）

Cindy and Lex went on a discovery trial.

Aren't these wild flowers beautiful?!

Mass Audubon, we love you.

Newport (II): Sailing Adirondack II

After a relaxing morning at Brenton Point Park, we headed to Bowen's Wharf for our sailing journey. First thing first, grabbing a lunch.

We boarded on Adirondack II in the early afternoon. The Adirondack II is an elegant, 80-foot, turn-of-the-century-style pilot schooner. She has traditional appearance but modern design and construction for unparalleled speed, safety and comfort [1]. She is a dream schooner to operate.

The weather in early September was more enjoyable than early May, when we sailed in the same schooner. I took my time to eat my lunch and desert, and played with Baba (zhong wen), while I let beautiful old house in the sea fleet by me. I was sure I might have overlooked other beautiful scenes.

Lex gege and I are two lobsters on the boat, thanks to Stephanie Gugu.

Near the end of sailing journey, Captain Issac made the dream come true for the kids, operating the Schooner. Lex gege already wouldn't let his second dream slip away. He knew this is the same captain Issac as last time, however, captain Issac didn't recognize this is the same Lex. 

Reference:
1. http://www.sail-newport.com/schooner_adirondack_ii

Newport (I): Brenton Point Sate Park

In the first weekend of September, we went to Newport for our second sailing trip. Our sailing trip was scheduled on early Saturday afternoon.  We left on Friday afternoon and stayed in Yankee Peddler Inn for one night. . 

The Yankee Peddler Inn was tucked into a peaceful "Historic Hill" neighborhood. This early Victorian home was built in the 1830s for a Boston mariner and naval officer. It is a few blocks from the waterfront and Bellevue Avenue. According to internet, this place with adjacent ivy-covered carriage house affords visitors a unique experience in downtown Newport [1]. However, all I remembered about its uniqueness was the narrow stairs to go down to the ground floor to have our breakfast. As for the breakfast, the Cheerio Mama brought for me from home was the best.

 

The next day, we had an entire morning to explore the Newport area.  Mama found us the Brenton Point State Park located at the point of land where Narragansett Bay meets the Atlantic. This park was named after Governor William Brenton, who owned the land as a large farm in the 17th century [2]. 

We first strolled and ran in a green area with wild flowers in the park.

Near the end of the green area, we discovered an old old tree and an old old house. The old house was fenced to lock a mystery or ghosts perhaps. 

Then, we enjoyed the breeze from the ocean and the rough beauty of the stony seashore. 

The kites flying in the sky was a surprise for us. We did not know that this park actually hosts the Brenton Point Kite Festival annually on the second weekend of July. The super fresh and a bit windy Atlantic air is great for kite flying. 

 

Let's go fly a kite!

Reference:
1. http://www.yankeepeddlerinn.com/
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brenton_Point_State_Park