Sunday, November 3, 2013

Apples

It's a beautiful autumn day here in Southeast Michigan. 
We've been working hard the last few weeks.
So, we thought we'd take things easy today
and do stuff close to home.
We are fortunate enough to live in a very diverse and wonderful area.
Just a quick drive up the road is a very popular fall destination
for much of the Detroit area.


Blake's Orchard is a great place to take the kids.
They have a petting farm, haunted house,
and hay rides. You can pick your own apples or
choose a variety of goodies from their store.


Jams, canned fruits, salsas, baking mixes, candles and more. 


Of course there are fresh apples of every kind.


They make their own cider right there where you can watch.


So many flavors to choose from.


After making our selections, we got ourselves a cup of hot cider
and sat down outside to enjoy the fresh air.


We noticed that they've added a new winery and had to check it out.


After sampling a few glasses at the bar, we made our selections to bring home.
A Sweet Hard Cider,
Autumn Cranberry Wine
and Blueberry Fields Wine
will be served at our impromptu gatherings this fall
as well as some fresh, hot cider.


Since we were in the neighborhood, we stopped by
Achatz (rhymes with jackets) Pies 
and picked up a Dutch Apple Pie
for our friends and neighbors who just got married this weekend.


This is a local company that also ships pies across the country
(and even to Nova Scotia, for a price)
that was voted by Good Morning America
as having the "Best Slice" of pie in America.
These are all natural, locally grown ingredients,
hand made every day, pies.

Nothing is too good for our friends.
We are very fortunate to have such good friends in our life.

Gratefulness is the key that we hold in our hands to a happy life.
Because if we are not grateful,
then no matter how much we have,
we will not be happy.

I know Jerome and Jenny will be happy
because they are truly grateful for the love they have found.

And I am grateful to live in such an area of abundance
and beauty with good friends to share it with.

10 comments:

jaz@octoberfarm said...

what a great place! and a cool wedding present too. i just love fresh cider. we have been getting wonderful honey crisp apples this year.

Ms Sparrow said...

I would love to go to that place. That apple pie looks to die for!

Jim said...

This looks like our kind of place Stew! Look at all the selections! Yum!
And I can vouch for 'Achatz Pies'!! The best pie we ever tasted! Thanks to Stew and Ed's kindness! Talking about being grateful!

Unknown said...

Well, I don't know if I'd die for it, but it is heavenly.

Unknown said...

Life is all about the good things and the memories that come with them.
Why not enjoy a treat every now and then.

Unknown said...

I know you would love it there.
And this winery! Well, it needs to be open year round.
But fortunately, Achatz is!

MorningAJ said...

We did a trip to a farm shop yesterday. We're lucky to be blessed with lots of small farm enterprises around here and we tried out a new one. (After a visit to a garden centre where I bought some winter violas for my hanging baskets!) We bought some rather wonderful gammon for last night's dinner, and a small bottle of sloe wine, which we'd not tried before. Yummy!

Unknown said...

We tried the winter panseys twice. It's too cold here in the winter and even though the roots survived until spring, the plants themselves couldn't make it.
So now we just enjoy whatever nature sends us for the next 5 months.

Admin said...

Ah, we know Blake's all too well! This was the first year I didn't get to go apple picking, but at least Shelly and Emma went and I made plenty of apple sauce. Blake's is also great for strawberries, raspberries, and even Christmas trees! I'll have to treat you to a Verellen's pie though. Glad you two had fun!

Rich

Unknown said...

I'll be waiting with a spoon, Rich.