Pumpkin Chuckin!

This weekend we were supposed to go camping.

We didn't.

Instead we created some fun things for our kids to do this weekend. On Sunday we decided to go to the Pumpkin Chuckin festival. This festival involves people creating trebuchets,which are then used to hurl pumpkins across the field. Some go far, some not so much, a few flop, and one or two go backward. It was nothing we had ever seen before, and it was very, very cool. The kids were very excited in the technique used to hurl the pumpkins. A very very cool sight indeed. In fact, the entire process was so amazing that Connor has decided that his independent final cub scout project will be to earn the engineering award, in which he will build a trebuchet to show everyone at the crossing over (To boy scouts). I'm very excited that this real life experience paired itself with the opportunity for Connor to explore it more in depth. We've discussed perhaps having him enter the trebuchet he plans on building into next year's festival. We'll see where it ends up! This turn of events is so exciting!

When we first got to the festival we partook in some free children's activities sponsored by the local family center. Very cute!

 

 

After the games we went to check out round one of the chucking! We stood behind the machines for the first round. They had a soccer goal they moved behind each one in case of errant pumpkins. 

 The machines varied in size. This one below had 500 pounds of counter weight and threw a 5 pound pumpkin. If I recall I think it was thrown approximately 250 feet.

Unfortunately, I didn't get any shots of the pumpkins in the air.

 The second round we sat to the side so perhaps could see a bit more.

 

 At one point one of the machines threw a pumpkin so far off course that it threw the pumpkin backward, and so far backward that it hit the top of the tallest gray silo!

  

The line of trebuchet machines. 

 

The foliage today was simply amazing. 

I simply could not capture the beauty of it it with my phone or my camera, but I sure tried! 

 

After all the chucking there was time pose for some pictures.
My darling son managed to smile for two pictures. That was it. 

  

Then there was a grumpy face:

 

After that we got a goofy face:

I did try to make him smile, but it didn't work well.

I did get some smiles from the girls though!

Then there was some playground playing.

 

 

Then there was hay ride riding.

 

 

Oh look, there's actually a smile from Connor! 

 Ah well, it didn't last long. 

Now we're back to goofy faces!

But we girls, we've got smiles! 

This event took place at the Boyden Valley Winery. Its a place I pass once a week on my way home from work; and yet a place we have never been. It was amazing and just to beautiful. Al and I decided  we definitely need to go back there for a wine tasting.

A sign from in the store:

One final silly pose, from Siobhan who was trying hard to swing her sister. (It failed).