Latest / Abide Meditation App / Relaxing Autumn Sleepy Story _ The Pumpkin Patch _ Cozy Sleeping Story
Transcript
- 0:02Speaker 1: Welcome to Get Sleepy, the podcast where we listen, we relax,
- 0:10Speaker 1: and we get sleepy. My name is Tom, and it's
- 0:16Speaker 1: my pleasure to be your host. Thank you for tuning in.
- 0:21Speaker 1: We're incredibly grateful and continually amazed by the support and
- 0:26Speaker 1: feedback you give to the show. We always love hearing
- 0:30Speaker 1: from you. So if you have any ideas for stories,
- 0:34Speaker 1: suggestions on what we could improve, or you'd just like
- 0:37Speaker 1: to say hello, then please do send us a message.
- 0:42Speaker 1: I try my best to respond to every email. So
- 0:45Speaker 1: go to getsleepy.com and use our contact page if you'd
- 0:50Speaker 1: like to get in touch. Tonight, I'll be taking you
- 0:55Speaker 1: on a special trip to a farm's pumpkin patch on
- 0:59Speaker 1: a lovely autumn day. There, we'll admire the pumpkins, walk
- 1:06Speaker 1: through an apple orchard, and sit by a warm and
- 1:09Speaker 1: cozy bonfire as we embrace the atmosphere of the season. Now,
- 1:20Speaker 1: take a moment to make sure you're comfortable in bed.
- 1:25Speaker 1: You might want to take one last big stretch to
- 1:29Speaker 1: help relax your muscles. Or switch your position a little
- 1:35Speaker 1: so that you're in the best spot possible to drift
- 1:39Speaker 1: off to sleep. Once you're ready, just begin to slow
- 1:47Speaker 1: your breathing down. Taking a full breath in to fill
- 1:54Speaker 1: up your lungs. And then slowly exhaling. Feel the way
- 2:08Speaker 1: your body responds to that slower pace. Perhaps you feel
- 2:16Speaker 1: more calm, more relaxed and eventually more sleepy. Notice any
- 2:30Speaker 1: areas of your body that need a little more attention
- 2:35Speaker 1: to unwind settle down and as you continue to breathe
- 2:41Speaker 1: deeply just direct that essence of calm from the breath
- 2:49Speaker 1: into those areas there's no hurry to get to sleep
- 3:00Speaker 1: our story tonight is a pleasant simple tale that you
- 3:05Speaker 1: can listen to and follow for as long or short
- 3:11Speaker 1: a time as you'd like. So, transport your imagination to
- 3:21Speaker 1: a new scene. On a brisk October afternoon, you're walking
- 3:29Speaker 1: up a quiet country lane which connects two neighboring towns.
- 3:38Speaker 1: The leaves are rustling in the trees as clouds drift
- 3:43Speaker 1: across a powder blue sky overhead. It is here, on
- 3:53Speaker 1: this blissful autumn day, where our story begins. The brittle
- 4:24Speaker 1: leaves crunch underfoot as you walk down the country lane.
- 4:31Speaker 1: Up ahead, you see a sign pointing to your destination.
- 4:38Speaker 1: It reads, Gloomy Gourd's Pumpkin Patch, and it's carved into
- 4:45Speaker 1: a hunk of wood hung on an old, sun-bleached wooden gate.
- 4:54Speaker 1: Far in the distance, forested mountains are covered in a
- 4:59Speaker 1: blanket of autumn's favourite colours. The land where you are
- 5:05Speaker 1: now is much flatter though, ideal for growing pumpkins. The
- 5:13Speaker 1: skyline is a gentle blue, scattered with fluffy, pillowy clouds.
- 5:24Speaker 1: Looking down, you spot a perfect maple leaf, dropped here
- 5:29Speaker 1: by the red and yellow tree looming next to you.
- 5:35Speaker 1: You bend down and carefully pick it up by its stem. Then,
- 5:43Speaker 1: you hold the leaf up to the sun's soft light
- 5:48Speaker 1: and admire the precision of its form. Unlike the other
- 5:54Speaker 1: leaves around it, this one is still firm, but not
- 5:59Speaker 1: yet crisp, retaining some moisture from its life on the tree.
- 6:08Speaker 1: It seems too beautiful to let go, you think, so
- 6:14Speaker 1: you carefully put it into your satchel as a keepsake.
- 6:22Speaker 1: As you walk towards the gate, a gentle breeze blows
- 6:27Speaker 1: past you. You can feel it through the fabric of
- 6:31Speaker 1: your top, so you pull your thin wool scarf a
- 6:36Speaker 1: little tighter around you to stay warm. The gate is
- 6:44Speaker 1: secured with a metal closure. You slide your thumb under
- 6:51Speaker 1: it and raise it gently. It rattles and creaks, showing
- 6:58Speaker 1: its age. The gate has probably been standing here on
- 7:03Speaker 1: this farm for decades, you think. You pull the latch
- 7:12Speaker 1: down to close it behind you. As you turn around,
- 7:18Speaker 1: the warm aroma of ripe pumpkins and sweet, crisp apples
- 7:25Speaker 1: fills your nose. The pumpkin patch begins with a short,
- 7:33Speaker 1: dirt pathway, bordered by several tall, slender trees. Leaves of red, yellow,
- 7:43Speaker 1: brown and orange are scattered across the beige trail. Some
- 7:50Speaker 1: crunch beneath your shoes while others are still too soft
- 7:56Speaker 1: to make a sound. You approach a small wooden booth
- 8:04Speaker 1: where you can purchase a ticket to visit the pumpkin patch.
- 8:10Speaker 1: There's a woman sitting here welcoming visitors. You greet each
- 8:16Speaker 1: other kindly and exchange a few words. Then you pull
- 8:22Speaker 1: out the appropriate amount of cash from your pocket and
- 8:26Speaker 1: hand it over to her. She smiles, clinks open the
- 8:33Speaker 1: metal money box and hands you a ticket. You rub
- 8:39Speaker 1: your fingertips back and forth on the papery ticket for
- 8:43Speaker 1: a moment and turn it over once or twice before
- 8:48Speaker 1: slipping it into your pocket. As you pass the booth,
- 8:56Speaker 1: more of the pumpkin patch reveals itself. From where you're standing,
- 9:03Speaker 1: you can see gourds of many sizes and colors. Small
- 9:11Speaker 1: orange pie pumpkins and the pale, eerie ghost pumpkins catch
- 9:18Speaker 1: your eye. You admire the uniqueness of the white ones,
- 9:25Speaker 1: with their thick black stem handles and glossy sides. You
- 9:33Speaker 1: wonder how they might taste. Bitter or sweet, you muse
- 9:40Speaker 1: to yourself. It's been a while since you last came
- 9:47Speaker 1: to the You almost forgot about all the colors, shapes,
- 9:52Speaker 1: and sizes that Mother Nature has to offer. Around you
- 9:59Speaker 1: are green, speckled, yellow and even multicolored varieties. As you
- 10:09Speaker 1: glance around, you notice that aside from the pumpkins, there
- 10:15Speaker 1: are many more things to see at this patch. Your
- 10:21Speaker 1: gaze lands on a white barn with a black roof nearby,
- 10:27Speaker 1: almost mimicking the look of the ghost pumpkins. You can
- 10:33Speaker 1: also see signs for a corn maze, an apple orchard,
- 10:38Speaker 1: hay rides, and a bonfire. There's even an especially cozy
- 10:45Speaker 1: area where a vendor is selling treats and warm beverages.
- 10:52Speaker 1: You'll definitely make a stop there later, you decide. To
- 10:59Speaker 1: your right, you find a big map displayed on a
- 11:03Speaker 1: wooden signpost. You trace your fingers over the map to
- 11:09Speaker 1: see how to get to the apple orchard, making a
- 11:13Speaker 1: mental note of the general layout. You carry on towards
- 11:20Speaker 1: the orchard, in search of the perfect, crisp red apple.
- 11:28Speaker 1: For a little while, you follow a small path that
- 11:32Speaker 1: is lined on either side with displays of painted pumpkins,
- 11:37Speaker 1: festive decorations, and large hay bales. Looking around, you can
- 11:47Speaker 1: tell that it's a rather quiet day at the pumpkin patch,
- 11:53Speaker 1: Some families and groups are here, but it's far from crowded.
- 12:00Speaker 1: It promises to be a peaceful outing, and that makes
- 12:04Speaker 1: you happy. Before long, you arrive at the orchard and
- 12:13Speaker 1: notice that it's quite small, with just a dozen or
- 12:17Speaker 1: so trees. Each one, however, is dripping with plump ruby
- 12:25Speaker 1: apples and vibrant green leaves. Both are also scattered across
- 12:33Speaker 1: the faded grass below the trees. A gentle breeze moves
- 12:42Speaker 1: through the orchard, and you feel the crisp air brush
- 12:47Speaker 1: across your arms. Although you're wearing a warm cardigan and scarf,
- 12:54Speaker 1: the light wind still finds your skin in the little
- 12:58Speaker 1: spaces between the knitted stitches. But with the soft autumn
- 13:06Speaker 1: sun above and the warmth of the wool, you feel
- 13:12Speaker 1: tremendously cozy and comfortable. As you walk slowly through the orchard,
- 13:23Speaker 1: you see a gleaming red apple fall from a tree
- 13:27Speaker 1: in front of you. It bounces from its branch into
- 13:33Speaker 1: a pile of leaves. Curious, you make your way over
- 13:39Speaker 1: to it. Leaves rustle around your hand as you reach
- 13:48Speaker 1: into the pile. to pick up the apple. It feels
- 13:53Speaker 1: nice and firm in your palm as you turn it around,
- 13:59Speaker 1: inspecting it for imperfections. But the fruit is glossy, smooth,
- 14:07Speaker 1: and ripe. This particular apple must have been meant for you.
- 14:20Speaker 1: Making your way out of the orchard, along another dirt path,
- 14:26Speaker 1: you soon come to a stack of wooden signs pointing
- 14:30Speaker 1: in different directions. One of them reads Candied Apples with
- 14:38Speaker 1: a large arrow. You'd planned to eat a plain, no-frills apple,
- 14:48Speaker 1: but now your senses are tingling. With your fruit in hand,
- 14:55Speaker 1: you follow the sign. After a minute or two, you
- 15:01Speaker 1: come to the booth. The fruit stand offers freshly prepared
- 15:09Speaker 1: candied and caramel apples with a variety of toppings. But
- 15:16Speaker 1: there's also the option to make one yourself. After speaking
- 15:24Speaker 1: with the laid-back farmer working in the booth, he hands
- 15:29Speaker 1: you a pointed stick made of wood. You take it
- 15:35Speaker 1: and carefully poke it through the bottom of the fruit
- 15:39Speaker 1: into the core. When you feel the apple is resting
- 15:46Speaker 1: firmly on the stick, you slowly dip it into a
- 15:52Speaker 1: rich caramel sauce. The scent of smoky, molten sugar reaches
- 16:01Speaker 1: your nose, and the sticky, hot liquid soon coats the
- 16:09Speaker 1: skin of the fruit. Your mouth waters with delight at
- 16:15Speaker 1: the thought of this special treat. As a final touch,
- 16:23Speaker 1: you roll the apple over in a bed of chopped peanuts.
- 16:29Speaker 1: Now it's ready, you think. You thank the farmer for
- 16:37Speaker 1: helping you with the apple. Then you turn away and
- 16:43Speaker 1: head for the main pumpkin patch. A pair of kids
- 16:49Speaker 1: holding hands dart past you eager for their turn to
- 16:54Speaker 1: make candied apples. Soon you come to a wooden bench
- 17:03Speaker 1: which looks like a lovely place to relax while you
- 17:07Speaker 1: enjoy your treat. It creaks when you sit down but
- 17:13Speaker 1: is comfortable beneath you. From here you have a beautiful
- 17:22Speaker 1: view over the patch. There's a straw scarecrow dressed in
- 17:29Speaker 1: linen overalls, surrounded by hundreds of orange pumpkins, some big,
- 17:37Speaker 1: others small. Glancing down at the caramel apple in your hand,
- 17:46Speaker 1: you turn it slowly to admire your work. It's shiny
- 17:54Speaker 1: and reflects the soft afternoon light and a single branch
- 17:59Speaker 1: of the maple tree behind you. You then bring it
- 18:06Speaker 1: up to your mouth, carefully sinking your teeth into its sweetness.
- 18:14Speaker 1: It tastes just as good as you remember. You spend
- 18:22Speaker 1: some time sitting on the bench and admiring the kingdom
- 18:26Speaker 1: of pumpkins in front of you. The mountains in the
- 18:31Speaker 1: distance collide with an uneven line of ripe orange gourds.
- 18:40Speaker 1: From this perspective, it looks as though a jumble of
- 18:44Speaker 1: curly and straight stems are poking up into the skyline.
- 18:54Speaker 1: The whole place smells of autumn. There are hints of
- 18:59Speaker 1: cinnamon and apples, and the earthy aromas of caramel and
- 19:06Speaker 1: pumpkin spice. They mix with notes of fallen leaves, rich soil,
- 19:15Speaker 1: and straw. Everything about this moment makes you feel warm
- 19:23Speaker 1: and cozy. You'd like to go and pick a pumpkin
- 19:30Speaker 1: to take home, but you decide to wait a while longer.
- 19:36Speaker 1: You don't want to carry around a heavy gourd when
- 19:40Speaker 1: there's still much to explore here. For now, you'll just
- 19:46Speaker 1: consider what kind of pumpkin would be best to choose.
- 19:54Speaker 1: As you continue looking out at the patch, you watch families, couples,
- 20:01Speaker 1: and individuals amble through rows of vines and soil. Some
- 20:09Speaker 1: take photographs, while others are in search of the perfect
- 20:15Speaker 1: orange squash. They bend down, inspecting various pumpkins, with expressions
- 20:24Speaker 1: of curiosity dancing across their faces. Some of the visitors
- 20:33Speaker 1: pull small red wagons where their children ride, holding their
- 20:39Speaker 1: prized pumpkins. Others choose to carry them, tucked under their
- 20:46Speaker 1: arms instead. After a few moments, you lift yourself up
- 20:55Speaker 1: from the creaky bench and make your way onward towards
- 21:00Speaker 1: the black and white barn you noticed earlier. It's just
- 21:06Speaker 1: past the apple orchard you've already visited. Instead of retracing
- 21:13Speaker 1: your steps to the right, you choose a path heading left.
- 21:22Speaker 1: As the day progresses, the breeze grows crisper. You do
- 21:29Speaker 1: up another button on your cardigan to stay warm and snug.
- 21:37Speaker 1: Walking in the direction of the barn you notice a
- 21:41Speaker 1: few crows soaring through the sky above you chattering to
- 21:46Speaker 1: one another. You look up at the cloudy sky admiring
- 21:53Speaker 1: how the autumnal sun is beginning to fade away. After
- 22:02Speaker 1: another left turn you arrive at the quaint barn It's
- 22:09Speaker 1: situated in the middle of the pumpkin patch, and it
- 22:14Speaker 1: seems like a meeting place for the farmers on staff
- 22:19Speaker 1: and families and friends visiting the patch today. You see
- 22:27Speaker 1: one farmer standing with his foot propped against the side
- 22:32Speaker 1: of the barn as he talks to another. Every so often,
- 22:39Speaker 1: Both sip from steaming mugs held between their palms. One
- 22:46Speaker 1: man is dressed in loose overalls and a brown plaid shirt.
- 22:52Speaker 1: The other is wearing blue jeans with a simple shirt
- 22:57Speaker 1: tucked in at the waist. Both have on comfy looking boots.
- 23:05Speaker 1: Together they laugh and chat away. enjoying their warm drinks.
- 23:15Speaker 1: The relaxing sound of leaves fluttering in a nearby tree
- 23:20Speaker 1: catches your attention. You turn and look just in time
- 23:27Speaker 1: to see that some have dropped, twirling and dancing together
- 23:33Speaker 1: before coming to rest comfortably on the grass. A few
- 23:40Speaker 1: others are tossed up by the breeze and carried in
- 23:45Speaker 1: the direction of the barn, drawing your gaze with them.
- 23:51Speaker 1: Out of the corner of your eye, you notice a
- 23:54Speaker 1: group of horses. They're standing inside of an unpainted picket fence,
- 24:03Speaker 1: grazing quietly. You watch them as they take slow, methodical
- 24:10Speaker 1: bites of grass and munch contentedly. This makes you smile
- 24:21Speaker 1: and you spend a few minutes admiring them from a distance.
- 24:27Speaker 1: One horse is a chocolatey brown colour with a mane
- 24:32Speaker 1: to match. The other is golden brown with a blonde
- 24:37Speaker 1: mane A gust of wind tosses the fine hair of
- 24:44Speaker 1: their manes into the air. The horses shake their heads
- 24:51Speaker 1: to brush the hair out of their eyes before turning
- 24:56Speaker 1: their attention once more to the grass. They truly are
- 25:03Speaker 1: majestic creatures, you think. Just then, Another farmer comes out
- 25:13Speaker 1: from the back of the barn. She begins to brush
- 25:18Speaker 1: the chocolatey brown horse, and it seems happy to be
- 25:23Speaker 1: receiving this special attention. Thinking it's time to carry on,
- 25:32Speaker 1: you leave the horses to their brushing and feeding. All
- 25:40Speaker 1: around you, the pumpkin patch is buzzing with activity. You
- 25:47Speaker 1: spot a tractor-pulled wagon with hay bales. Families gather one
- 25:53Speaker 1: by one for a ride around the farm. You knew
- 25:59Speaker 1: these rides were a staple of the pumpkin patch. and
- 26:04Speaker 1: you considered going for a ride to feel the crisp
- 26:07Speaker 1: October air moving past as you bumped and bounced around
- 26:12Speaker 1: the farm. But you decide to leave that activity to
- 26:18Speaker 1: the groups waiting now. As families fill the wagon and
- 26:26Speaker 1: head out for their ride, you're left alone near the barn,
- 26:32Speaker 1: You've got the place almost entirely to yourself. It's so calm.
- 26:40Speaker 1: It's no wonder your mind feels serene and relaxed here.
- 26:49Speaker 1: A crackling sound drifts towards you from the opposite side
- 26:54Speaker 1: of the barn. Remembering the map you saw earlier, you
- 27:01Speaker 1: realize that's the direction of the fire pit. You walk over,
- 27:09Speaker 1: noticing a bit of smoke rising as the crackling grows louder.
- 27:18Speaker 1: You come to a circle made of cut logs with
- 27:22Speaker 1: a medium-sized bonfire glowing among rocks in the middle of it.
- 27:29Speaker 1: The familiar aroma of burning wood is soothing to your senses.
- 27:37Speaker 1: There aren't many things more autumnal than a bonfire, you think.
- 27:47Speaker 1: The entryway to this part of the farm is an
- 27:51Speaker 1: arch made of cut wood, decorated with dried corn stalks.
- 27:58Speaker 1: There are two hay bales on either side of the entrance,
- 28:02Speaker 1: with a pretty assortment of squash sitting on top of them.
- 28:10Speaker 1: You walk through the archway, admiring the attention to detail
- 28:15Speaker 1: here in the pumpkin patch. Fairy lights hang above your head,
- 28:22Speaker 1: forming a twinkling square around the fire pit. Below the
- 28:30Speaker 1: lights are thick, sturdy hay bales and logs for sitting.
- 28:38Speaker 1: Over to your right is a covered area where vendors
- 28:42Speaker 1: are serving treats and warm drinks to passers-by. The temperature
- 28:51Speaker 1: is growing colder as evening approaches, and you believe a
- 28:56Speaker 1: hot beverage will warm you right up. you happily walk
- 29:02Speaker 1: over to the covered area, where the smell of cinnamon
- 29:07Speaker 1: and spices fills the air. You can still hear the
- 29:13Speaker 1: crackling of the bonfire behind you, setting the perfect mood.
- 29:22Speaker 1: The menu has been handwritten on a chalkboard, hung on
- 29:27Speaker 1: a wooden pillar. you take a moment to read it
- 29:33Speaker 1: and see that they serve pumpkin spice hot chocolate, warm
- 29:38Speaker 1: apple cider, and coffee. After a moment of contemplation, you
- 29:49Speaker 1: decide on the pumpkin spice hot chocolate. You are at
- 29:54Speaker 1: a pumpkin patch after all, and their blend is homemade,
- 29:59Speaker 1: you read. Plus, you can already smell the earthy, chocolatey
- 30:07Speaker 1: aroma and it seems to be calling to you. The
- 30:15Speaker 1: attendant smiles as he hands you your drink. It's served
- 30:21Speaker 1: in a dark green ceramic mug with pumpkins painted on it.
- 30:28Speaker 1: You pay and thank him before waving goodbye. Turning around,
- 30:38Speaker 1: you glance back at the cozy bonfire. You wish you
- 30:43Speaker 1: could have one just like it in your own backyard.
- 30:51Speaker 1: You imagine yourself roasting marshmallows over the fire, watching them
- 30:57Speaker 1: get crispy on the outside before biting into their gooey
- 31:02Speaker 1: texture and sweet flavor. You'd have friends around to tell
- 31:10Speaker 1: ghost stories at this time of year. You'd sit by
- 31:15Speaker 1: the fire, exchanging tales, and staying warm with hot cider
- 31:22Speaker 1: and tea. The longer nights would feel shorter in good company,
- 31:34Speaker 1: You walk across the grass and take a seat on
- 31:37Speaker 1: one of the hay bales. As you move your palm
- 31:42Speaker 1: across it, you feel the rough, dry texture of the
- 31:47Speaker 1: hay against your skin. You catch a whiff of its
- 31:52Speaker 1: dusty scent between notes of the hot chocolate you're holding
- 31:58Speaker 1: in your hand. You take a deep breath, feeling quite relaxed.
- 32:10Speaker 1: Bringing the mug up to your nose, you smell the
- 32:14Speaker 1: delicious aroma more closely. Then, you move the cup down
- 32:22Speaker 1: to your mouth and take a generous sip of the
- 32:26Speaker 1: pleasantly warm drink. It soothes you from the inside out
- 32:35Speaker 1: as you enjoy it. Closing your eyes, you take a
- 32:44Speaker 1: moment to focus on your senses. You can hear the
- 32:50Speaker 1: rustling of the leaves in the maple and birch trees
- 32:53Speaker 1: around you, and the crackling fire next to you. The
- 33:02Speaker 1: scents of autumn surround you, and you feel completely at peace.
- 33:15Speaker 1: As the sun fades away and night begins to fall,
- 33:21Speaker 1: the fairy lights seem to grow brighter and the fire warmer.
- 33:31Speaker 1: It's been a beautiful day, and now you'll sit and
- 33:38Speaker 1: sip your hot chocolate, admiring the crispness of the season,
- 33:44Speaker 1: the warmth of the bonfire, and the sound of the breeze. Later,
- 33:54Speaker 1: you'll find the perfect pumpkin to take home. Who knows?
- 34:02Speaker 1: Perhaps you will make that fire pit in your back
- 34:06Speaker 1: garden this season, after all. Maybe you'll bring friends round
- 34:14Speaker 1: for homemade pumpkin pies and stories. It doesn't have to
- 34:21Speaker 1: be a dream, you think to yourself, as the atmosphere
- 34:27Speaker 1: of this place Fills your senses. You hold the warm mug.
- 34:38Speaker 1: With both hands. Content and cozy. You sit and thank
- 34:46Speaker 1: mother nature. For the beauty of autumn. And the wonderful day.
- 34:54Speaker 1: Spent here. At the pumpkin patch. you Thank you. Thank you.
- 36:22Speaker 1: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
- 38:52Speaker 1: Thank you. Thank you.