Do you retain a bucket listing of locations you wish to go or stuff you wish to do sooner or later?
Maybe you scribbled an inventory on a notepad, saved as a observe in your telephone, or possibly it simply lives at the back of your thoughts—a quiet, hopeful assortment of “somedays.”
My Bucket Record
For years, my very own listing has been rising. It’s full of charming small cities I’ve solely seen in native magazines, scenic drives talked about by buddies, and hidden gems I’ve bookmarked after studying about them. Life, with its comfy routines and on a regular basis calls for, has a means of conserving that listing at arm’s size.
“Sometime” is all the time a protected, straightforward distance away. However in case you are like me and crave life and magnificence inspiration, I made a decision it was time to cease ready for sometime, particularly in terms of taking a day journey each as soon as in awhile to discover an space that I’ve by no means been to earlier than.
Research have proven that quick, novel experiences – a day journey, an unplanned hike, exploring a brand new road – enhance dopamine and reset temper. You don’t want a grand trip. You want interruption. The mind thrives on small doses of novelty. Routine retains you alive. Novelty makes you are feeling alive and fills your mind with new concepts and inspiration.
Locations I’ve By no means Been… Till Now
I’ve all the time loved taking time to do issues in September as a method to get that “again to highschool feeling” . Studying that day journeys or unplanned outings are good in your mind, Ed and I made a decision to start out taking these quick journeys and can share them right here on the weblog in a sequence I’m calling, Locations I’ve By no means Been… Till Now.


This sequence is my dedication to turning these daydreams into real-life adventures. It’s about lastly taking an impromptu exit off the freeway, reserving a weekend journey, and exploring the spots which have lived on my “sooner or later” listing for much too lengthy.
Going to new locations is in regards to the pleasure of discovery, whether or not it’s a spot throughout the nation, world wide, or simply an hour from my very own entrance door.
I’ll be taking you together with me, sharing the sights, the tales, and all of the little particulars that make a spot particular. My hope is that the submit will encourage you to take your individual day journey, an unplanned hike, discover a brand new road, or take the time to walk by way of a neighborhood with stunning properties to show certainly one of your “somedays” right into a “right this moment.”
Day Tripping to Windy Hill Orchard and Cidery
Final Friday, Ed and I took a day journey to get pleasure from top-of-the-line issues to do within the fall. We went to an apple orchard to go apple choosing.
We headed to Windy Hill Orchard and Cidery that could be a two hour drive from our residence.


Apple choosing just isn’t a totally new expertise for us. Rising up, we each had the chance to choose apples, simply by climbing a tree in our yard or at a buddy’s farm.


In our grownup years once we visited our youthful daughter within the fall whereas she was in school, we all the time headed to Shelburne Orchards, in Vermont. That’s when consuming apple cider donuts grew to become a part of the apple-picking expertise.
When you’ve got ever had freshly made cider donuts sprinkled with cinnamon sugar then you know the way good they’re.


For apple choosing, they schedule you for a particular time slot, so the orchard doesn’t get overrun. Arriving early supplied the proper alternative to benefit from the first of some cider donuts earlier than it was our flip to move into the orchard.


Getting there early additionally supplied us time to taste-test a flight of laborious ciders the cidery makes and to take a look at the small retailer the place they promote cider, spiced apple wassail, apple butters and BBQ sauces all made on the premises.
We purchased just a few. Some to get pleasure from at residence and extra to share with household and buddies.


When it was our time slot to move out to the orchard we have been a bit disillusioned by the obvious apple high quality. Most regarded crushed up and had spots.


We had two baggage to fill and I used to be trying to find the most effective trying apples. It wasn’t till we received residence that we realized that the Winesap apples we picked have been DELICIOUS!!!


That’s once we remembered how spoiled we’re by “excellent” produce you should purchase on the retailer. I put “excellent” in quotes as a result of they’re visually excellent. And infrequently completely tasteless.


The apples we picked could not have regarded fairly, however they have been scrumptious. They have been additionally very best to show into some home made applesauce that I made the subsequent day. You’ll discover the recipe under.
Sudden Gems
The enjoyment of a day journey like this fall journey to an apple orchard was the chance to find. We had deliberate to have lunch in York, SC which was the closest city to the orchard. However we hadn’t chosen a restaurant prematurely.


Simply earlier than reaching the orchard, we handed an eye-appealing signal for The Backyard Café.
Our instant thought was that we would have liked to test it out for lunch once we began on our means residence.


We have been glad we took the time to cease. It was a beautiful place for lunch – scrumptious meals in a magical setting!


We loved our lunch al fresco on this picturesque backyard setting.


I additionally loved searching within the cafe’s nation retailer and located one thing I’ve been searching for for a very long time. A tall tea infuser for my tall journey mug.
The day was pleasant, the climate excellent and I did come residence with new concepts in my head. Which for me is all the time a very good factor.
Will we ever return to the orchard or cafe? Who is aware of? York, SC is about an hour and a half from our residence so… not far, but additionally not shut… and never on certainly one of our typical journey instructions.
It doesn’t actually matter as our journey was a part of a really pleasurable diversion from the each day routine which is what day tripping is all about.
One different factor struck each of Ed and I. Driving by way of rural South Carolina is a potent reminder of simply how a lot stunning, however open house exists in lots of components of this nation… with miles and miles of cotton fields that we’d have by no means identified about or seen when taking main roads or the interstate to drive someplace.
We loved the day a lot that we deliberate one other 2-day journey to a spot I’ve been eager to go to for years. I’ll share extra quickly.
So how about you? Do you have got a bucket listing of locations you wish to go or stuff you wish to do sooner or later? Why not take the time to do it now within the fall whereas the climate is sweet and even get the additional benefit of seeing stunning autumn colours alongside the way in which.
Straightforward & Wholesome Prompt Pot Home made Applesauce Recipe


I make applesauce in my Prompt Pot as I like that it cuts down the time I must stand to observe over a pot on the range and stir each couple of minutes till the apples get gentle.
With a strain cooker, when you flip it on, you possibly can stroll away and do one thing else till it’s completed.
Wholesome Prompt Pot Home made Applesauce
Once you need applesauce that tastes scrumptious and has no preservatives or chemical elements – seize a dozen apples to simply make a batch of home made applesauce that might be a lot better than the mass produced jar applesauce you purchase within the grocery store.
Servings: 12
Peel and lower apples into chunks. To make this step simpler, use an apple peeler/corer/slicer like this one I linked to within the notes part of this recipe card.
Place 3-4 tablespoons of water in backside of pot, then add chopped apples.
Sprinkle in 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1 teaspoon nutmeg over high of apples. Add roughly to fit your style.
Shut and safe lid. Prepare dinner on HIGH strain for 10 minutes.
Let vent naturally.
If utilizing smaller apples you should use 12 or extra. If utilizing an Prompt Pot to make the applesauce, you possibly can fill the pot as much as the fill line with cut-up apples.
If utilizing natural apples, you possibly can maintain the peel. If doing this, it’s best to chop the apple into smaller chunks so the peel will soften.
The white Prompt Pot mannequin I’ve is now not made. There’s a new mannequin in white. White Prompt Pot
Right here is the Apple Peeler I Use: Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer in One
And the Immersion Blender I Use
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