Apples and Festivals

I can't really sit here and write about an apple butter festival after everything that's happened here in the Inland Empire this week. So my message for you tonight is this: be kind, tell your people you love them, and really go after the things you want in life because much too often, this life can be too short. Stay safe. 

That is all. 

#OptOutside

REI launched an amazing campaign this holiday season called #OptOutside. It basically encouraged people to head outdoors on Black Friday, rather than spend the day shopping. I think that a lot of people would agree that Thanksgiving has become way too commercialized, and as a former retail worker, I truly appreciated the idea of stores remaining closed so that employees could actually spend the holidays with their families. I sincerely hope that more companies adopt this model next year.

So on Friday, I decided to head up to Oak Glen to check out their annual apple butter festival (more on that later this week). These photos were shot at the Oak Glen Preserve which is right next to the Riley's at Los Rios Rancho apple farm. The Wildlands Conservancy maintains a number of easy walking trails that allow you to explore all of the plant life within the preserve. 

I really wanted to keep walking past the lake, but by the time I reached it, I was freezing my hands off! You can't tell in the photos, but there was a light snow falling the entire time I was there! Brr! Despite the low temperatures, it was definitely worth it to spend the day after Thanksgiving outside in fresh air. I'm hoping to make #OptOutside a yearly tradition.

Snow-Line Orchard

It was pretty foggy up at Snow-Line Orchard last Saturday! For those of you that don't know, Snow-Line Orchard is home to one of my absolute favorite desserts: apple cider mini donuts. I thought that they were only available during apple-picking season, but it turns out that Snow-Line currently serves them on the weekends! Best. News. Ever.

My friend and I drove up to Oak Glen just as the fog was rolling in. To be honest, I was kind of excited because I don't usually get to shoot photos in foggy weather conditions. Everything looked so much more... mysterious (?), I guess. We devoured half of our donuts in the car, walked around the property for a little bit, and then went back inside to check out the rest of the store. It was a great way to spend the afternoon!

Apple Cider Mini Donuts

Today I met a very sweet woman who also happens to make THE most amazing apple cider mini donuts. I bought two dozen.