Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Apple Picking

One year we decided to experience apple picking in Oak Glen. It was late October. In California this is when it begins to cool down before the winter rains. So what better time for a New York transplant to bring back memories of autumn than to experience the foothills of the Los Angeles area.
We made reservation at a Bed and Breakfast for 2 nights, and planned to tour the many apple ranches along the route. The Saturday and Sunday we visited could not have been more like autumn. Cool, crisp air greeted us along with crunching leaves and apples galore for picking. We climbed ladders and picked the crisp apples to bring back home. We also stopped at various ranches and bought bags of picked apples, apple cider, apple butter and of course a slice of fresh apple pie, hot out of the oven.
Oh...the memories of childhood…some never dim!

Below is a site that lists apple picking cross the US. This is a wonderful time of year to build family memories.

Monday, September 1, 2014

Geology Get Away


Every several years, I’ve liked to take a get away to a geological wonder I discovered during my undergraduate work. The field trip I took during my Geology class to Devil’s Punchbowl, after 30 years still fascinates me. A county park of the Los Angels County Dept. of Parks and Recreation, the park has short trails within the park showing off the unusual tiled formation of uplifted sand stone formed many centuries ago.

During the fall the paths are surrounded with colorful trees and bushes.  And yes, it is on the San Andreas Fault. The Devil’s Punchbowl Nature Center offers many programs, tours and a telescope program. It’s wonderful day trip for families to enjoy together.