Something Beautiful Inside of Me: Apples Galore!

We go apple picking annually and some times a few times a season. We don't particularly love apples, but I grew up going apple picking with my grandparents & mother and cousins and siblings... and basically anyone who wanted to go - we packed the car and went. We'd spend the whole day at the orchard picnicking with Filipino Fare. It was so fun, so good, and just loaded with memories.

When Paul and I started dating, I introduced him to this tradition and it's quickly became one of ours. We've managed to go every year... including a year we decided to go in Kentucky, where he was living at the time. They are always filled with smiles, apples, apple treats & of course apple pies once we get those babies home!

This year we went to Smolak Farms not once, but twice! And we've been using our apples ever since!

Here are the photos from today's apple adventure!

This was the sign on the road to the "Secret Orchard" - yes that's it's name. It's the last orchard they pick from of the season and that's where we were. They only had Cortlands and Macs left... and that was good enough for me. I kind of wish I could be a resident though... imagine living on a private road with no neighbors save for a farm... oh wait - and the 100s of weekend warrious there to pick their own at the farm? Scratch that.

Last time they let me drive the apple truck - this time we thought it'd be fun if Paul got a turn

He always smiles when he gets a good apple! This smile is how he stole my heart!

This is his I'm a serious guy face. I don't believe it much either.

I told him to stand in the sun so the shadows don't ruin the picture... apparently Paul can't open his eyes when facing the sun... woops!

Yes, he does crazy things like this... and this is only 1 of many awkward public poses he performed at the orchard. (Picture him crouching and flexing imaginary muscles in the farm store to convince me that buying 1/2 a dozen cider donuts would be bad for his physique!)

Yes, sometimes Paul takes my picture too. It was a balmy 40 something degrees this morning.

There is our mid-sized carving pumpkin. It's speckled with green and mostly round with a great curved stem. I thought it was great. I think Paul wanted one triple it's size!