The beach has been socked in under a layer of depressing fog lately so I decided to head out to my mom’s for something fun to do. There is nothing like a couple of rambunctious nieces to knock the duldrums right out of you.

We decided it would be extra fun to head up the hill to Oak Glen where it was beautiful and sunny and everything looks like fall. It’s only about a half an hour from my mom’s in Hemet. A lot closer than I realized. I hadn’t been there since I was a kid and wow, was I in for a shock. What I remember as a small apple farm has now turned into a whole town of small amusement parks. It’s still charming but I would definitely say skip going on the weekend. There were way way WAY TOO MANY people.

It was a little more swap meet, sell your imported goods on the side of the road and a little less homemade apple pie and pick your own pumpkins than I would like. I could definitely do without the swap meet. I’d rather go to TJ if I want a blanket with a snow leopard on it…but what can I say? Tourists will be tourists and somebody has to sell that crap.

It was still really fun. We ate apple pie (that was actually kind of mealy and not very tasty) with delicious vanilla ice cream. We listened to a little band of banjo players and browsed through shops filled with apple butter and quilted toaster covers. The kids got to ride a gasoline fueled train around a petting zoo. I talked Rapunzel out of riding on the pony ride that was really just too sad to support. I just won’t pay money to people who make their poor sad ponies walk around in a depressing sad circle all day. I know, this is fun for kids… but it was four bucks and the circle was really really small. Thankfully, Rapunzel completely agreed with me and decided that a pony that could run free would be much more fun.

My mom and I bought some apples and some apple cider. My sister-in-law got two pumpkins, with fantastic curly stems, for her girls to carve for Halloween. (I do love curly stems.) Rapunzel got herself a big fat carmel apple with peanut butter M&M’s stuck to the outside of it (much to the disappointment of her sister who is allergic to peanuts but she got over that since she loves apples and ate about 20. Can you say diaper rash?) and my brother well, he got to carry everything. That’s what brothers are for.

I’m glad we went. I do think I’ll go again. I’ll just go on a Tuesday when it’s not so crazy.