More photos from Los Rios apple ranch, Oak Glen

I took all these photos up at the Los Rios apple orchard, which I believe is now called "Riley's Los Rios".   I think Riley's Farm bought them out.   Riley's Farm is actually further down the road and is the first apple orchard you come to as you drive up Beaumont Avenue.  If you take Interstate 10 to Beaumont, get off at Beaumont Avenue and follow it right up to Oak Glen.   The original Riley's Farm, down the road, has a huge white barn and the folks there dress up in Revolutionary War costumes.   They actually have a petting zoo right by the parking lot and a working strawberry patch and a gift store.  You can actually go inside the main building there, too.   It is a lot of fun.

However, we were at the Los Rios apple orchard, which is up the hill past the curve in the road.  They do have a petting zoo...I just don't know if the class got to see it because I left early.  They have a huge lawn and picnic area and they are next to the Wildlands Conservacy with its trails and sunflowers. They also have a large gift shop, apple store, and a cafe and bakery.   They always seem to be smoking ribs too!   :-)   During Halloween time, they decorate the place with pumpkins.

Here are more photos from our exciting day:

 Kiddos were learning how apple cider is made...

 Nana sat down and rested on one of these chairs!

Apple country ~ Oak Glen

So, Miss Ellie's kindergarten class went to Oak Glen yesterday.   It was her class and another one.   Her mommie took the day off from teaching and went with her on the bus.  Nana drove her own car and met them up there.   There was NO WAY I was going on a school bus!   I knew I wouldn't last until lunch time, so that's another reason I drove separately, and I was right.   I was DONE by 11:00.

So, I got to go with them on the behind-the-scenes tour of the apple packing plant, which I had never done.   Our 3rd graders NEVER went up to this ranch.   I do believe that the kindergarten classes did go to another ranch, but I don't know if they still do that field trip.

We saw where the apples are washed, dried, culled, sorted, and then boxed.   It was interesting to see the process.  Then "Johnny Appleseed" came out to one of the orchards and talked about the kinds of apples and when they bloom and when they are picked.   The kiddos were fairly attentive.   Off in the distance, however, I and another parent heard gunshots...maybe something bothering the apple orchards?

Then they went and sat down and each kid picked 2 apples to put into the apple cider press.   By then I was lightheaded from lack of water, the heat, and low blood sugar.   I left.   Fortunately I had a bean & cheese burrito in my car from my early morning stop at Bakers, so I ate that and drank a whole liter of water on my way down the mountain.  It was a warm day up there...86 degrees when I left.  And, the humidity was building up.   There were thunderheads building up around the mountains, but I was in too much of a hurry to GET HOME to stop and take photos.   Grandpa and I will return in early October since Miss Ellie has a day off school for staff development and I won't have to drive her to school that day.

Here are a few photos from yesterday... MORE tomorrow!

 Apples in boxes

 I liked this roof...

 Apples going up the conveyor belt to be washed

 LOVED this door!

 Apples in tree...

 Ladder

Nice clouds! 

More pics tomorrow...

Summer is quickly fading...

Summer is quickly fading and not soon enough!

This was a rough summer.   First, our July temps were the... HIGHEST ON RECORD...EVER.   There were more days of temps over 100 degrees EVER!   I remember a couple of summers when we didn't have to even turn on the air conditioner until AFTER July 4th.   Not this summer or the previous one!  Our air conditioner ran from May through...even today.   We have, however, been able to turn it off at night and open up the windows to let some fresh air inside and some days we've been able to leave the house open until about noon.   NOT TODAY.   The temps are up and so is the humidity.

But, I digress...

Summer is quickly fading...How do I know?    The sun is setting more to the south.  I notice it on the ridge line of the San Jacinto mountains and it is WAY south than June!  I don't notice it from our own house, but when I'm out on Interstate 10, I see where it is setting.   It would be interesting to track it with sticks and put the dates on each stick...say, once a month.   Maybe I'll do that sometime...

Also, our nights are getting cooler.   Right now they are in the mid to high 70's, but this week we will get down into the 60's.   YAY!   And, I've noticed the maintenance workers already scalping some of the golf courses (to everyone's ANNOYANCE!)   Additionally, I've seen birds start to return to the desert, including a black phoebe and 2 ducks that I saw flying one morning while driving the 5 year old to kindergarten.   And, that lovely soft, golden late afternoon light is back...that gorgeous autumn glow...ahhhhh......

So, summer... PLEASE fade away some more!   I'm anxious to plant my hollyhocks! 

Enjoy your day.
Cheryl Ann

Idyllwild weekend

So, our daughter made a reservation (Sandy...) in Idyllwild for the Labor Day weekend, which was unusual because we thought everything was reserved.   Well, one of the cabin houses wasn't, so off we went, with the dog, and our daughter, son-in-law, and their 2 kiddos.

Papa and I and Bodie (our dog) got up to the cabin about 3:30 p.m. Friday, since we won't work.  I DO, however, have to drive Miss Ellie to kindergarten every morning now because her school starts...get this...90 MINUTES after her mother's school!   Yikes!   And, it looks like I'll have a job for the next 6 years because when Brady (the 2 year old) starts school, it will be the same MESS.   However, the governor has a bill on his desk to have ALL California schools start about the same time, so we will see!

ANYWAY...

We passed through the fire burn area on our way up and from Idyllwild.   The Cranston fire actually burned down RIGHT TO the Hurkey Creek campground, across from Lake Hemet.   And, I mean right to the kids' play area with their swings and climbers!   SCARY!   Then, up to the top of the summit, up and over, and to the very EDGE of the town of Idyllwild.   Some of my favorite turnouts, where one can look down to Hemet, are now burned.  Kids at the summer camps in Idyllwild were ALL evacuated and now I see why.   Dark, burned, lifeless...sigh...

It was good, however, to spend a weekend in Idyllwild.   Our daughter and I headed out Saturday morning to look at some of the yard sales.   I bought a bag FULL of lace, 5 books at the library for my journals, and a library bag.   She found a bunch of stuff...a beautiful glass pitcher, some items for the kids.   We had a BLAST while the boys got to babysit the 5 year old and the 2 year old.   Our puppy, Bodie, who is now 9 months, is EXCELLENT with the kids and they all play together!

We cooked up a batch of loaded potato soup for dinner Friday night and had leftovers Saturday for lunch, along with sandwiches.  It wasn't too hot in Idyllwild...mid 80's and nights were in the 60's.   We DID, however, get a surprise visitor Saturday night:   a BAT!   I awoke to hubby swinging a broom around (I thought he was coming after me!), but then I saw the bat.   He never got it, but the son-in-law managed to swipe it into MY OVERNIGHT BAG and take it outside, where it flew away!   SUCH EXCITEMENT!   Apparently they are very common up there.

Sunday we just stayed in and let the kids (and Bodie...on a 15' horse lead rope) play in the front yard.   There were blue jays, squirrels, even a huge cottontail rabbit.  Bodie took off after one of the squirrels and was stunned when he came to the end of the lead rope, which is WHY I BROUGHT IT.  There isn't a gate at the end of the driveway and he is new enough, I didn't want him running after some critter and not coming back!   He did manage to get OUT of the cabin once, but he just came around to the front door!   GOOD BOY!

We left around noon Monday, back to 109 degrees.   It was actually 115 here yesterday and today it will be about 112, but then temps go back to around 107, 106 and even lower...still triple digits, however.   BUT, the nights are in the mid 70's, so we open all the windows and allow the cool air inside and give the air conditioner a rest.

Here are some photos from Idyllwild:

 Bodie on his 15' horse lead rope so he wouldn't run down the street!!!

 Brady and Bodie.   Both are about the same age mentally.

 Brady looking for goodies in one of the food boxes!

 Brady and his ball and rake.   He is a TERRIBLE TWO!

 Brady, Jennifer, Ellie, and Bodie....all getting along

 Fire...ugh.   This is RIGHT as you make the final turn before hitting town.

Looking down toward Hemet.   The Hemet side of Highway 74 was severely damaged.