13 October 2012
I love where I live. Sometimes I have to pinch myself that I live in California just 2 1/2 hours from downtown Los Angeles - yet miles away in culture, values and worldview. Most of the people that I meet have chosen to live here because they want the opportunity to live somewhere with clean air, little traffic and wide open spaces. I particularly love the four seasons we are priviledged to experience - Summer jumped from weeks of excessive heat to Winter (skipping Fall) necessitating a roaring fire in the fireplace all day yesterday - Yes!
One of the things I tackled this summer was a small garden. I am surrounded by people with years of gardening experience and I realize how much I have to learn - but what a joy when you actually are able to harvest something and bring it to your table to enjoy or better than that - share it with someone else. With just a little bit of pride you show off your bounty and wait for the oohs and aahs!
Of course I can’t grow the variety of vegetables and fruit that we need as a family - so we must look for ways to supplement our food sources. One of those ways are from small family farms in our town. I discovered Dries Farms this past week - It is apple season right now and I heard that Dries had a u-pick orchard. We headed over there on a Saturday morning and walked through the different variety of trees and picked some apples. Margaret Dries also has pumpkins, raspberries, lavender. When she isn’t there she has an “honor” system to leave your payment. Being raised in a big city, I couldn’t imagine there
were still places like this.
Spending the day picking apples with your family - priceless!
