Town and Country

Last weekend Will and I visited the country town of Julian, CA.Home to rolling hills and apple orchards and a small town out of the 1870's. We picked apples at the Raven Hill Orchard and had lunch at Soups and Such, visited the Pioneer Museum and a one room schoolhouse, we walked up to the hilltop cemetery, browsed the bookshop and art shops, all under a glorious blue sky.

On the way out we strolled those rolling hills in the Wildlife Sanctuary.Today I made a Granola Apple Crisp with the Empire apples we picked. It's topped with Apple Cinnamon Granola and Honey Crisp Pecans from the Julian Cider Mill.
More photos on Flickr

Ever Gentle on My Mind

There was something so deeply intimate about being there in Troy, going through my Uncle's space, a space now empty of his physical presence, and yet he was everywhere. In the look on Rusty's face, the notes left on the table, a book on the nightstand, boots kicked off and laying on the floor.His ashes are heavy in my arms. And just like he did with my Grandpa before him, with my bare hand I lift the ashes out and let them fall through my fingers to the gentle wind, to the tall grass, to the river rocks, and to the wild river.There's deep sorrow and a calming peace in doing so. He's where he wanted to be. And I look at the bend in the river and tears of joy might stain my face, and the summer sun might burn me till I'm blind. But not to where I cannot see him walking on the back roads, by the rivers of my memory, ever smilin', ever gentle on my mind.
Those song lyrics have been in my head and I take a moment to say goodbye before I rise from the riverside, and return to the others.