If You Are Going to the Pumpkin Patch, Bring a Towel
I am a so-called “house child,” which means that I am often terribly underprepared for any kind of external activity, even one that is child-centered. So it was this weekend when I went to the pumpkin patch and found myself in a lot of mud. You can’t stop the dirt, but you can soften it, and the best way to do this is to bring one or more towels with you.
The signs were there as soon as we entered the parking lot. Whole mud-drenched families roamed the asphalt, swinging their shoes in the puddles and wiping their children with wet wipes. These families must be very clumsy, I thought.
However, I quickly realized that balance and poise would not protect me from dirt. It turns out that plants that grow in wet mud are often surrounded by wet mud, and that wet mud will infect you. A towel or absorbent blanket will not keep you clean, but it will make your trip to the pumpkin patch a lot easier.
The main problem with mud is not that it makes you dirty, but that it makes your pumpkin slippery, making it difficult to hold, which is uncomfortable because these heavy round objects are already very difficult to hold. Wrapping the pumpkin in a towel will make it easier to carry and less messy, since you don’t need to hold the pumpkin close to your body. You can also opt for a larger pumpkin as you will not be limited by your own upper body strength. (A large IKEA bag is also a good gourd holder, but you can also dry your hands with a towel if needed, and not everyone has an IKEA bag.)