Off we went down the country roads.... followed a sign or two to check out a covered bridge... stopped to take some pics...then moved on down the road... through some really small towns to some bigger small towns but mostly the views we found were of awesome farm houses and lots and lots of farmland. We eventually found our way into Woodburn where the Annual Woodenshoe Tulip Festival was in full swing. We followed the signs to the tulip farm & waited in the long line of cars to get in. After about 5 mins of waiting (and no way out of line if we were to change our mind) I notice the tulip folks are taking the admission fee (just $10 per carload) as their customers were pulling into the parking lot.... I got to thinking... hmmm... I bet they only take cash for this... not like they are going to hold up the line full of cars to go run a debit card, right? So I ask Brendan if he has cash... nope... Well I know I don't have cash either... hmmm... can't get out of the line & by this point someone really has to go potty! So we're committed... I figure I'll just ask the guy taking money if they can use a debit card & if not I'll just head for the exit... maybe drop a certain someone off near the porta pottys while I'm at it... So our turn arrives to pull into the parking lot... there were TONS of people there taking the admission fee from the cars as they came through... So we come to the first man... he's holding the flyers to hand out... my window is rolled down, I was ready to ask him about it... well... I ever so slowly pass him & he just smiles....(didn't even give us a flyer either!).. So I see the next guy we will pass has a stack of money in his hand... I figure this must be the guy to ask.... again... I slowly drive up to him... I look at him smile & he just smiles back, I pause for a moment.. but he's not asking me for any money.... hmmm... ok... so I keep going.... find a place to park and head out to the tulip fields.... umm oops! Guys I think I forgot to pay you!! The first guy must have thought the 2nd guy would take our money & the 2nd guy must have thought the 1st guy took it already... or something... or maybe it was just our lucky day?! In any case, Mr Gonna-Pee-His-Pants was happy....
So after a quick stop at the porta potty we went in search of tulips! Along the way Brendan kept telling me we must have come too late because there are no tulips... I kept telling him no, they have to be here somewhere! I've seen pictures other people have come home with !! Keep looking!! A quick tram (ish) ride up to the fields and there they were.... tulips as far as you could see!!
Madi LOVED walking through the rows and rows of flowers, pausing every now and then to put her hand out as if to touch one... looking up at Mom & Dad to see if it was ok... She was very gentle to the petals & when one of them fell apart as she touched it she even picked up the fallen petals & tried to put it back together! Too cute! Of course we took advantage of such a great location & perfect model..... check out the amazing pictures Mr Photographer captured....
