Horses!

A birthday party for one of their friends was at a local farm, and all interested young folk had the chance to ride a horse. Moriah opted to watch with one of her buddies, but Bridget went around, and around, and around...

Letters

Before attending a friend's wedding in York a few weeks ago, the girls and I hit the beach to soak up some of the last warm weather. We only had a few minutes to run, splash in the waves, and draw in the sand. The girls love to practice letters. M, B, H, T, A, D, and J are favorites.

Best Day Ever (since Yesterday)

We took a special trip to an apple orchard this afternoon to celebrate one of the best autumn afternoons yet. Huge honeycrisp apples, little pumpkins, and bright leaves at a family orchard surrounding a pond made for a perfect outing.

Narrow Gauge

The fall foliage is starting to come out, and we thought that this afternoon would be the perfect time for a short train ride!

The Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad runs historic cars and replica or rebuilt engines on a short stretch of narrow gauge track on the weekends during the summer and fall. This is all that is left of an extensive rail system developed in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century in this part of Maine. The railroad is almost entirely run by volunteers who are serious train buffs, and their dedication to this project, including new acquisitions and maintenance of several cars and engines is pretty impressive.

The girls loved the trip! They sat on their own, and were very excited to have their own tickets for the conductor to punch. This is Moriah sitting up by herself. The band-aid on her forehead isn't covering a scrape, she just likes the giraffe pattern.

Bridget is beaming! This trip was a hit, and sure to be repeated next year.