The Apple Orchard

We have most definitely been filling our days with Autumn Activities. We made our way to a local apple orchard last weekend with my sister and her family. It was a beautiful day, and the kids were all in a good mood.

**I started this post a few days ago, before reading this article. And now I have something else to say.**

I'm so saddened to hear of the hayride accident in Maine, leaving one person dead and plenty injured. I cannot even begin to imagine how those families are feeling days after the accident. I'm positive that the family of the deceased is wishing for one more hug from their seventeen-year-old. I'm sure they're wishing for one more eye-roll, a typical response to parents from any teenager. My heart breaks for them.

And, I find myself holding my boy more tightly. Giving him extra snuggles and extra love.

We had a similar experience during our own adventure at the apple orchard. We, too, were on a flatbed trailer, sitting on hay bales having a great time. As we made our way down the hill, through the spooky Halloween decor, the trailer and the tractor picked up speed. My first thought was that we were going down hill, this is normal. But then we were flying, and people were screaming.

Our tractor driver, bless her heart, did everything she could to keep us safe. And a fabulous job she did. Our trailer did not jack-knife. Nobody was thrown from the hayride.

We were all safe.

And how lucky we are.

Immediately following the incident, we laughed it off. "It wasn't that bad," we echoed as we walked back to the beginning of the ride.

But it could have been. Instead of being whisked away to the hospital, we got to continue our afternoon at the orchard. The kids went on a few rides, they climbed hay bales. We left with smiles on our faces.

How lucky we are.