Sunday, September 17, 2006

The Road to Apple Hill

Saturday morning started out as a trip south that went "south" by doing a 180 and heading north. The plans to drive to Merced turned into an escape to one of my favorite places, Placerville.
















The trip starts out through farmland and moves into rolling hills and rangeland.




















And passes through the picturesque towns of Ione and Plymounth.




















Two hours later we ended up in Diamond Springs with our longtime friends, Barb and Jeff (no pictures - sob - what was I thinking?) Every year we make the annual trek to the hills above Placerville to enjoy Apple Days, the region's Fall hommage to all things autumn and apples.





















Don finds a friend at Denver Dan's Apple Barn and Alpaca Farm.



















Grandpa's Cellar is a great favorite and we visit year after year. This is where I found a cute little recipe book for Lee-Ann, my chocolate swap partner. I just had to throw in that little tease, Lee-Ann.

We have known Barb and Jeff since the summer of 81. At that time we had one child and they had two. We ended up with two and they rounded their family out to four not to mention they now have three grandchildren. We have seen it all together - births through deaths. I consider them my bookend friends with the cycle of life shared completely by our two families.

We never have a chance to see each other without small children around and it is a wonder that we were able to spontaneously get together for this day of fun, just the four of us. As a memory, it's right up there with going to Disneyland and our group was made up of adults. Mind you, I love kids, but there is something very very special about these adults only memories. It's just us, talk of the past and dreams of our future. What is our big dream now? Well, Barb and Jeff went on a cruise this past January and we discussed it at length and the absolute necessity of OUR taking a cruise too. Since we have a wedding to celebrate in summer 2007, we are in the early planning phase of a cruise to Mexico in summer 2008.

14 comments:

trailbee said...

Annie, you've got it all. What a great post. And here I am digging through the apples at the local supermarket and finding something old and stale from last year, still recovering after six months in some moldy hold of a gigantic freighter. Yuk!
Enjoyed the glassworks. How do you manage to get hot coffee there? Mine is always lukewarm. Do you bribe somebody? :) See you Tuesday. (Sure hope that little chickie went to SF! What a crush.)

Mary Bee said...

So you went to Apple Hill too. Good for you. A pleaseant get away for sure, not to mention yummy. I was born and raised the first 18 years of my life at the base of Apple Hill. A place called Smithflat. Good to get away from it all huh?

Lisa Oceandreamer Swifka said...

what a perfectly delightful way to spend the day....great friends, Apple Hill et al. I like Placerville and haven't been there in some time. My folks used to live in Auburn so they would do the annual fall Apple Hill run and get pies for Thanksgiving. So glad you are planning the cruise, sounds like a great time!
xoxo

paris parfait said...

What a beautiful day! And thanks for sharing the lovely photos. Now I'm off to find an apple. :)

Daisy Lupin said...

Sounds like you had a really good day. It sounds like a really great place to go in the autumn. Lots of apples pumpkins scarecrows and other harvest goodies.

Miss Robyn said...

oh, do take a cruise! we went on one early this year - on the Holland america line & it was absolutely wonderful.
looks like a great day out with your friends. times like this are treasured xo

TMTW said...

A cruise? I am just green with envy! :0)

Mary Bee said...

Annie, yes I'm Vicci's cousin and somehow you are the last person on this blog to realize that. No, I'm just kidding. This weekend Vicci and I talked about how she'd gotten together and how fun it would be to make it three. I swear this is not Blogging, it is Weaving. We are all weaving our lives together and finding like souls. It is so nice.

vicci said...

Glad you made the first trip Annie...I know you'll be here again before Winter sets in! October is the best month for Apple Hill...Ya know where Boeger Winery is???? On Carson Rd...I'm across from it...on top of the hill! We will have to meet one day and share a piece of pie and hot cider! I was up there for some peaches a couple of weeks ago....and hot cider doughnuts! Taking a cruise would be Heaven!

Beth said...

That looks like a really fun place to go. And its in Vicci's part of the woods,lol. We went to the State Fair on Sunday and had a blast too. Lucky you, I want to go on a cruise too! Have a awesome day Annie!

Jeremy said...

Looks like you had a really good trip. The cruise sounds like a great thing to look forward to, too.

Tongue in Cheek Antiques said...

Annie thanks for taking us along with you on your annual apple tour! Have you ever tried tarte tatin? That is my favorite type of apple pie.

Kim said...

What a splendid trip you went on and planning a cruise to Mexico sounds so exciting!

Tammy Brierly said...

I look forward to checking this out in the move! Cruise...woohoo!