Apple Picking!

Driving over to Bayfield and picking apples at an orchard is another one of those things that has been high on my list of things to do, and something we haven’t done in the five autumn seasons we’ve lived here.  I think it is an experience that is definitely worthy of becoming a tradition!  We had a ton of fun picking two bushes of apples at this apple farm.  Dr. Peds picked out some interesting food preserves at the gift shop (cranberry mustard, blueberry lavender jam and a bottle of maple syrup), the kidlets had a delightful time zipping around the apple trees at the orchard and were super duper helpful picking the apples and getting them into the boxes.  The boxes filled quickly and easily, so it was a great picking experience for little people.  They also enjoyed EATING lots of apples on the trip.

Best of all, though, was this magnificent tire swing suspended from a big branch on an amazing tree right in the middle of the farm yard. It twisted, and it swooped, and it was big enough for all of them to get inside if they wanted.   The kidlets were in love at first sight, and I don’t think they would have minded if we just stayed right there all day long so they could swing and swing and swing.  They really, really want a swing like this, and I would so love for them to have one, but we just don’t have an amazing branch from any of our trees.  (We have too many rickety pine trees.  Maybe by the time my grandchildren are around, the maple trees we have planted in the yard will be big enough).

I wish I had a movie of The Banana driving that yellow bus in the first picture.  She was  singing and bebopping, and it was just hilarious.

You know you are on a REAL farm if there are lots of old tractors parked in the trees and brush behind the barn.  I felt right at home!  (And I thought of my grandpa!).