Little Kids' Vacation 2014, Pt. 1

We took a week-long trip. Cade didn't go with us; I'd told him our (mostly little-kid-oriented) plans and offered to wait until early August when he could go with us. He wasn't interested, so our trip coincided with his being at Scout camp. I told myself he'd had many adventures (including Disney World) in the nine years before he had siblings, also that he's going on vacation with his other family later this month; still, it felt a little strange to be on vacation without him.

We drove, first, to Erin Quigley's house in Annapolis. She's always glad--excited, even!--to have us. Jim worked from her house the next day while she and I took the little kids back to Clark's Eliok Farm in Ellicott City. (You can read about our first trip, here.) I enjoyed our second trip as much, maybe more, as the first.

As I've shared before, many of the structures from the former Enchanted Forest have been moved onto the farm, and it really is a magical place with admission of only $5/person. The five of us took a hayride, and the little kids each took a pony ride; still, my grand total was $41. (The farm also offers barrel-car rides and gem mining for small, additional fees. Check ahead if you're interested in gem mining, as it's available only at certain times.)

The photos below were taken near or inside the maze area of the farm, which is the part we hadn't explored previously.

 
Clark's Eliok Farm is one of my favorite places on earth. Erin said: "I think you enjoy this more than the kids," and yes, probably. My heart and camera love everything about it. Clementine's already at an age where she's looking for mechanical rides, but I would take these lovingly-crafted, fiberglass characters and structures over rides any day. I love the vibe of this place: the freedom to amble along in any old direction, to bring a packed lunch and break bread under a shade tree.

That evening, after Jim finished working, we all headed to the private beach area in Erin's neighborhood. The weather was perfect, the waves of the Chesapeake Bay gentle. It was magic of a different sort and a wonderful way to end the first day of vacation.