Each spring, it creates itself anew, practically before our eyes. This spring is no different, and the rain the last couple of days has certainly helped it along. Papa is talking about the beautiful tree tunnel that arches over Sandy River Drive, one of the main roads to Papa’s Pumpkin Patch. It’s the best country drive around town this time of year.

We used to think that when guests come to Papa’s each fall, their visit would begin as soon as they arrived at our front gate. Not so. The visit actually begins about two miles before Papa’s entrance…when you first start north on River Road.

How do we know this? Because it’s one of the main reasons Papa’s papa and Mrs. P moved to the area in the first place, over 40 years ago. The drive out River Road takes you away from the city and puts you smack dab in the country. The sort of narrow, kind of windy road is lined with all variety of trees, bushes and grasses.

Practically every time you go to town you will see pheasants or turkeys or deer; sometimes there’s even an emu or a peacock (one of the neighbors raises them and on occasion, they go for an unplanned walkabout!).

All of this is to say, it’s springtime at Papa’s Pumpkin Patch. And one of the ways we know summer is just around the corner is by our tree tunnel. The big cottonwoods are starting to fill in with green leaves and soon the archway will completely cover the drive. That’s when it’ll be the best country drive around town, all over again.