Hurricane Sandy barreled into Morristown with tree-toppling fury, but she delayed her entrance long enough for St. Peter’s Episcopal Church to hold its second Fall Harvest Festival to celebrate the completion of the Creation Season on Oct. 28.
Although wind and the threat of rain chased the activities indoors, the weather remained overcast but dry, allowing for three hours of pony riding on Tweetie Pie and Pumba, courtesy of the Seaton Hackney Stables. Families also planted daffodil bulbs amidst the chrysanthemums in the Children’s Garden, promising a cheerful springtime display.
Inside the parish hall, children navigated a maze, painted pumpkins, crafted owls and spiders, decorated cookies and practiced their farming techniques gathering plastic eggs, fruit and veggies. Youngsters also tried their skills at beanbag tossing, gourd hockey played with plastic brooms and bowling using a pumpkin to knock down plastic-bottle “pins.” They also could have their faces or hands painted or choose a temporary tatoo, or three. One festive visitor even attended wearing a Halloween costume.
Seeing Eye puppies from Morris County 4-H‘s 4-Footed Leaders kept calm but watchful eyes on the proceedings. And members of the Herpetology Heroes brought along two snakes and a gecko to visit.
Out on the back porch, parishioners Vicky and Jim Wheeler of Hopatcong kept the grill burning, providing hot dogs to accompany those decorated cookies and homemade brownies. They were among more than 40 volunteers who helped make the intergenerational event possible, despite the impending hurricane.
