Apple orchard and pumkin patch dreams. 10/25/09

I can now say in my lifetime (as of yet) I have witnessed the most amazing sunset. It trumped all beach sunsets at the cliffs in Ocean Beach, the sun setting in the mountains of Julian and any pallet of paints I have ever worked with.
The Great Smokey Mountains in Tennessee are a mirror of the sky at sunset. The colors of fall foliage are vibrant and striking in the morning and the afternoon. Oranges, yellows and reds like I have never imagined exist here in this famous National Park. But the magic happens at dusk. As the sun begins to set across the hills a vibrant light hits these leaves and creates gem like sparkles as far as the eye can see. In the sky itself, the reds and oranges mimic these leaves....or is it the other way around? You lose sight of horizon as the sunset and the swaying hills become one in an amazing show of nature.

Hundreds of other tourists toured the mountains the same day we did. It was refreshing to watch crowds of people stop and wait in line to appreciate this sight. For once we weren't spending money to see something, we weren't waiting to catch a glimpse of an actor...we were waiting to be part of something spectacular and natural. ( On a side note, we sat in traffic for a half an hour because of a bear in a tree!)

There is a back story to the sunset of course! You may be asking yourself what we were doing in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee. It all started with an apple orchard dream. Weeks ago I picked up a flier for the Apple Barn, a famous apple winery and baked good community of stores. An orchard. Infact it produces 65% of Tennessee's apples. We drove the several hours to experience crisp mountain air, cinnamon scents and to purchase a much coveted bottle of sparkling apple cider for Matt and myself's FIRST Thanksgiving Holiday alone! We left the apple barn with mulling spices and apple spice bread mix as well.

At this time of year in San Diego, Matt and I would have already visited Julian to capture a moment of that fall feeling. Here in Georgia we've been smacked in the face with the season! The leaves change outside of our window, we don't have to drive hours to find an unsatisfying glimpse of that change. We don't have to drive to Big Bear and drive around with the windows down to experience crisp air. Georgia has reached 35 degrees at night for a week or so now.

So here we are.

We got exactly what we had been looking for. (I now wish for toilet seat warmers and warm jammies!)

Today I had pumpkin patch dreams...a short drive and we were bouncing along on a hay ride to a patch. What a magical place! The tinkling of children's laughter, the warm love of families choosing their beloved pumpkins and the musky smell of mud. Shhh, don't tell....but we left the patch empty handed, not wanting to spend a small fortune on gourds. Wal Mart sells the same squash for $4!
Tonight we practiced one of my all-time favorite traditions (ahh memories of me drawing a face on a pumpkin and Chris carving it for me because my folks didn't let me play with knives), the carving of the pumpkins! These are the moments that make life beautiful.