Bates Nut Farm in Escondido

First weekend in October.

Wandered through the massive pumpkin patch, checked out scarecrows, visited the Farmer's Daughter retail shop to try on fascinators (a feathery spider topper, a little pumpkin hat perched high above a headband, veiled witchy look with tiny tiara was my favorite), sat on a hay bale under a tree to lick a homemade coconut ice cream cone and watched little kids swing from a climbing wall.

This was our first trip to Bates Nut Farm.

Wheelbarrows were available to haul your pumpkins (or your kids)!

Or if the whole family wanted a ride...

Lots of photo ops -- this little girl has paparazzi!

Yet another way to ride around the fields.

Yikes, the hot sun has not been kind to her make-up.

Remembered to check out the nuts before we headed out.

Wild Safari

We have been going to the San Diego Wild Animal Park for years and years and years.

It was renamed the San Diego Zoo Safari Park but I can never remember that.

Yesterday I rode the Africa Tram Safari.

Stopped to watch a mom and daughter team traverse the Jungle Ropes Safari.

Watched in awe as the giraffes participated in the Photo Caravan Safari.

Looked up at the Balloon Safari.

Walked the Safari Trail to see the animals up close (and snoozing on parked cars).

So much to see at the Wild Animal Park.

Er, Safari Park.

Butterfly Jungle

Arriving at noon was not early enough to snag a timed ticket to see the Butterfly Jungle exhibit at San Diego's Safari Park.

All of us slackers, that did not arrive when the park gates opened, were forced to kill time.

Looking at wild animals, riding the tram and eating soft serve ice cream.

Fortunately, they allowed the ticketless general public to view the butterflies between 4 and 6 pm.

This was the line at 3:30.

There is a protocol to viewing butterflies. They are allowed to touch you. They are allowed to land on you. Basically, the butterflies can do whatever they want.

Humans, however, are not allowed to touch, flick, pick up, step on or in any way harass the butterflies. Before leaving the enclosure, each person must twirl, I repeat, do a complete spin, in front of a uniformed butterfly inspector in order to make sure that no butterflies are on your person prior to leaving the enclosure.

It seemed like a lot of fuss.

But as I stepped into the exhibit, this gorgeous creature flew onto my left shoulder allowing me to reach my camera out with my right hand and snap a photo. Lovely. I stood still and was surrounded by cameras and iPhones from the crowd until the color-coordinated little fella flew away.

This gal was not so lucky. A beautiful butterfly landed on her upper left butt cheek. She also had a crowd gathered 'oohing and aching' but she could not see the butterfly. And perhaps she did not want so much attention focused on her rear. Of course, I am just speculating.

These are a few more that sat still long enough to be photographed.

One last look before we leave the exhibit.