October 3, 2010 - Fall Means... Apples!!

Oh fall, sweet fall. How I have missed you. And why have you hidden away longer than normal this year, letting summer linger like that "looked better on the rack" skirt in my closet or that container of "long past its date" sour cream in my fridge.

Oh but you have kissed the leaves this weekend, embracing them with that coolness and crispness I so love you for and wait anxiously for every year. My heart is lifted and my spirits are as high as those red and orange leaves still clinging to the highest branches. Please stay and play for a while, dear fall.

With the arrival of a few cool days, I finally decided it was time for my family to indulge in one of my fall favorites - the apple orchard.

It was Georgia's first trip to the land of hay rack rides, luscious cider, thousands of red globes dangling from trees, freshly baked apple donuts and memorable walks down orchard lanes. Ah, fall.

So we climbed aboard a converted trailer lined with hay bales, and a tractor led the way to rows upon rows of red globes.

And this was Georgia's reaction when we started moving...

Everyone on board was giggling right along with her. She enchants.

And it was a wonderful, sweet day.

And this little girl who has never really liked apples, bit into them in their purest form and fell under their spell.

And as always, I fell under hers.