Apple Picking SoCal Style!

    In places other than Southern California (also known as SoCal to us residence) children are frolicking in fall colored leaves, drinking hot coco, and putting on thicker sweaters as dark clouds begin to skitter across  the sky. But here in the OC we're dying of heat and wondering when-oh-when the rain will come. But its SoCal. It NEVER comes. So rather than be sad and depressed about the never coming fall weather I contrived a plan to do the most iconic fall like activity I could think of.

My mom reaching for an apple!

    Go apple picking!

   But where could there possibly be apple orchards in an almost desert? Why a beautiful, magical town called Julian, of course! It's quaint, its old, its got a working silver mine, and apple orchards. After much shuffling of schedules and being told by many an orchard 'sorry, we're full' and 'our apples died this year' I finally managed to find one. Armed with enthusiasm, fall clothing (and yes, I did nearly die of the heat), and a camera, I headed off to the orchard with my amused mother.

     With the energy and wonder of a five year old I carefully inspected every single apple tree and picked only the most scrumptious looking apples I could find, after all, these apples were for pie baking. I filled my basket to the brim, and never mind the heat, I looked pretty fantastic! Not that I cared, because it was apple day! The orchards were buzzing with a few bees still collecting the last of the nectar they needed, and red ants and I had a nice run of surprise attacks (guess who surprised who when they went to sit down!?). All in all, the apple picking was a success!

So delicious looking!!

      My fun filled day wasn't done yet though! We stopped into Julian, and after a delicious meal we meandered along the streets and rummaged through antique shops. I found a beautiful antique tea cup made in Finland, and even got a discount on it! I almost love it more than my Japanese made tea-cup! After that  we needed to replenish our rapidly depleting energies, so we went for the world famous Julian Apple Pies (my mom's REAL reason for going, and not my delightful company. Deceived again!). They were delicious,especially the ice cream they put on the side!We went through a few more antique shops, and then decided to head home, to beat out the other tourists still stuffing themselves with pie.

Part of Julian. Can you believe that's in Southern California!?

 

     It had been a beautiful day (Even if I DID overly dress the part for all the heat), and honestly, I had tons of fun prancing around an apple orchard pretending it was a cold day in Vermont. Next year, I think I'll pick twice as many apples!

Am I tempting you yet!?