Week 6: Pumpkin Patch

 A few weekends ago, I visited a pumpkin patch in Irvine.  It was actually a cold and rainy night, so even as this photo was taken around 6pm, it was much darker because of the thick clouds in the sky. Upon my arrival to the pumpkin patch, I was actually quite surprised by the strings of lights that ran across the perimeter of the patch. Though these lights are nothing extraordinary, I feel that they complimented the mission statement that most pumpkin patches support: unity and fun. I felt that the lights added a sense of hospitality (friendly, generous, entertaining) to the environment (which is really just located off of a large intersection near a freeway entrance), which made picking pumpkins and playing games seem more enjoyable. I also felt that the lights helped to enclose the space, which made me feel as if I had just escaped the vastness that is Irvine. The lights are incredibly bright as well, which allows for a lot of visibility for people to choose their pumpkins and take quality pictures. I have visited other pumpkin patches, but I feel that this design was most functional while also conveying a sense of carnival-themed fun, unity, and escape from the consumerist lifestyle that is often visible in Orange County.