Beware of the Corn (MAZE)

I love going on field trips with the boys. I don't know why, maybe because some of them are really fun and I have fun with them when I get to go.
Three years ago I got to go with Eric to the Mason Corn Maze in Niota TN. When we went, Hurricane Ivan just moved through 2 days before that, and it basically tore up the field, and it made it very easy to go through the maze. So, that stuck in my head.

I got to school, got behind all the snooty moms in there huge SUVs, here I am in my Jetta, and we go. I know the way, so I wasn't really worried about getting lost. But 4 of us missed the light to get on I-75, so we were really behind. Finally we get on the interstate and I am just wanting to get caught up to the bus, I look down, and low and behold, I am doing 100mph. OOPS! We all eventually caught up and then it is speed up, slow down with some of these women. Gee whiz, just go!

We drove through the little town of Niota, and while we were driving, I noticed all of these photo opps that I never noticed before. You see, my friend Johanna has really inspired me to take pictures of the surrounding areas. Well, considering I have a boat load of mothers behind me, I figure I will get the shots on the way back.


We get there and I have got to go to the bathroom. The coffee and diet coke ran through me, so of course I ask where the bathrooms are, she points to this outhouse type building behind the little house. Great, I gotta go in there!
It wasn't quite an outhouse, they had working toilets and sink. But just make sure you use the chain on the nail to hold the door shut.


They gathered us all up and had the kids watch a video to help answer the questions in the maze. They needed to pay attention to this in order to get through the maze. Do you think my 2 boys paid any attention? Um no!


So, we paired up with another chaperone and 2 children and between the 6 of us surely to goodness we can get through this. Yeah right! We actually got lost going to the first question, didn't answer that right and got turned around, that didn't not take long. We ended up with a crowd of about 15. We hit the questions in order and then we hit a snafu, 5 to 8, that didn't work. We went back to look for 6 and 7, yep that took forever. It is hot, humid, we have no water, and we thought we were gonna die out there. It was miserable. But we did make it out, about 90 minutes later.

In the corn, we ran upon several of morning glories growing. Most of them were opened and in full bloom, so of course, I spotted a chance to take some pictures of them. I know, they are flowers, but if I see something that I like, well, I am gonna start taking pictures.


After we got out, we waited for the hayride. Sure, why not. So, PJ and I walk around and look at the different things out there. Like a sandbox full of corn, and a corn cob made of all yellow milk jugs.



Get some water and wait for the next trip around.



The hayride was packed full, we were all hot and sweaty sitting on hay. Yep, that is nice!



The view from the ride was just as pretty as could be, if we had cooler weather, the leaves would be changing, but the weather has been miserable and fall still hasn't arrived.


After the hayride, we got to see where they milk the cows, and stopped off to see the cows eating. Oh the silage that they are fed, it stinks worse than the manure! I loved seeing the bully cows bumping the smaller ones out of the way. Goes to show that there are bullies everywhere, but it was funny to see her just head butt her and make her move.




We had lunch, and ice cream. Didn't pick our pumpkins, but then again, we don't want a tiny little pumpkin, we want a good one to carve! PUMPKIN HEAD!

PJ and I finally head home. And I finally have a chance to take some pictures of the things that I spotted on the way in.

This is outside of the Niota Depot. Funny, a town that still has an operating depot. And then across the street, the old buildings of the town that once housed the business district. This is the business district? Yep, that is the way they live out there.



I spotted this all on the way in, and I was so excited to know that I had my handy dandy camera, and the inspiration from my dear friend. I don't think that I would have spotted this as a picture waiting to be taken. But now, I go everywhere with my camera, and I am so glad that I do.

We took a pitstop on the way home. Something that I usually don't do, but since we got done early, and we were going to be home very early, I thought that something for me and PJ to do would be nice.

Oh yeah! I love this store!


All in all, we had fun. It was a nice trip to the corn, don't look forward to another trip like that though.