Oh, the Injustice!
Suddenly I hate L.A..This morning Pixie and I decided to go find a pumpkin patch. She's been really excited about pumpkins ever since going to Utah a few weeks ago and seeing tons of them. Our goal wasn't unrealistic. Just to find a place with pumpkins strewn around, maybe some accent hay and an opportunity for her to pick out a special squash to bring home.
So we set out on our trek. I drove all the main streets in town, past the hardware store, the grocery stores, any large parking lots I could think of - nothing. So we ventured to regular old Pasadena. Again the slow cruise down main roads but not a gourd in sight. The trek continued in Altadena where I thought this more earthy community would surely have a patch or two for children to explore their inner harvester. By this time, Pixie was in the back seat repeating "pumpkin patch?" in a hopeful but wilting little voice. Naptime had come and gone but I didn't care. After an hour, she sat with her head propped awkwardly on her shoulder snoozing while I slowly wound my way home cursing Los Angeles for hating me and my favorite holiday.
We got home and I quietly unbuckled Pixie from her carseat hoping to bring her up to her crib without waking her. She suddenly popped her eyes open and started shrieking "pumpkin patch! Pumpkin patch!" over and over. I had failed her. My city had failed her. Mankind had failed her. She has been screaming in her crib for the past half hour now stung by the injustice of a mother who promises pumpkins and produces bupkis.
What kind of city doesn't have pumpkin patches? How am I supposed to parent in such a soulless place? Get me out of here.
- I just talked to a friend who informed me that there is a nationwide pumpkin shortage this year because of fungus and about 50% of the crop has been wiped out. I found a bunch of articles to this effect saying how slackers like me who waited till the last minute to get pumpkins probably won't succeed. Doesn't make me feel any better, but does explain the creepy un-orange quality of my local parking lots.
Comments
I wish you the best. Hopefully a resourceful gardening neighbor or something can supply you with the goods if LA can't.
In other news, South Pasadena makes for a very green Illinois... Especially when the movie takes place in October.
It can be done. Do it first by phone then in person!
http://www.sandiego.com/halloweenpumpkins.jsp
Here's a list of San Diego pumpkin patches - we went to the Pinery. It was $6.50 per kid, and pretty much lived up to exactly a kids fantasy of a "farm."
Come see us. We're loaded up here.
I think I'm going to start growing my own. I love those big almost fluorescent kind that I think are really squash not pumpkins, but they're all bumpy and pretty cool looking.
Luckily for me, it was one of those things in life that I hadn't overrated and Penny was tickled to run around amid the different kinds of crazy pumpkins. The patch was littered with spooky ghouls and dismembered body parts and had pirate music playing. I guess I can stay in L.A. after all :)