Strange Encounters

Last night the kids and I (minus Noah, who is bored out of his mind up at NAU) joined our friends down in Mesa for the Strange Encounters Halloween scavenger hunt. Internationally acclaimed sculptor, Ray Villafane, set up various vignettes depicting different Halloween scenes made solely out of pumpkins and vines. The purpose of the scavenger hunt was to find each vignette down Main Street and locate a tiny, costumed mouse in the scene. 

His scenes were cleverly designed, but there wasn't very many "carved" pumpkins. Because this is the first year in this location, and because of COVID restrictions, I'm sure this was just a much smaller version of what he typically creates. The kids still loved it and loved breaking out of the house to hang out with their friends. 

Most of our crew (Noah is at NAU and Big Will is on his mission) plus a bonus friend

Halloween 2016

Homeless Man Max

Corpse Bride Alora

Rapper Jack

Lunch Lady Noah

Fuls Crew Halloween 2016

Rocker 7

Today the kids and I, along with our friends, the Wrays, decided to visit a new pumpkin patch nearby called "Rocker 7."  Sounds just like a pumpkin patch name, right?  Rocker 7 is home to a 4- acre corn maze in the shape of the Statue of Liberty, a bouncy pillow, a tiny petting zoo, a pumpkin patch (actually pumpkins scattered throughout some hay bales), a sunflower field, a wagon hay ride, a wheat and corn seed jumping pit,  and a couple of random other climbing things like giant tires and more hay bales.  It wasn't super impressive for the price, but it was something to do, and this is its first year in operation, so maybe it will get better as the years go on.

The kids actually liked the corn maze probably the best.  They had a map with 6 different clues they had to find in order to make it out.  The little kids (Alora, Max & Dayley) found 3 and the big kids found all 6. 

The other activity the kids really seemed to like was perhaps the dirtiest.  Go figure.  They had this wheat seed and corn seed jumping pit type area.  The kids literally cannon-balled into these pits and at one point, our friend, Hone, was buried in the corn, much like burying someone in the sand.  Even the big kids seemed to have fun in the seeds. 

Alora and Dayley in the wheat seeds

The kids burying Hone in the corn seeds

Even the big kids got a train ride!

 

No idea who this giant cutout is... maybe the farm's owner???

Max would make a cute scarecrow

The sunflower fields.  Jackson is way in the distance exploring.

What about the pumpkins?  I personally did want to pay another $50 for pumpkins, so my kids still got to look, but in the end, we just bought our pumpkins at good ole' Wal-mart. 

Trick-or-Treat 2013

 HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Hobo Noah



Jack as "The Walking Dead" Daryl Dixon



Alora as a 1920s flapper



Max as a gangster