Finding peace apple picking in Glen Oak, California

Currently I\’m holding down several jobs; there\’s on-set movie production, a real estate venture, a gallery showing of my work to prepare for and a two-day a week seasonal gig at my favourite store so that I can buy some pretties at 40% off. Each day I\’m in several locations with no days off and it should stay this way until the new year. One very tired girl does this situation make.

So yesterday when I surprisingly found myself with some time, I took a 90minute drive east to a very small apple town of Oak Glen.99% of the orchards on the four mile strip of road had unfortunately become rather commercial – selling goods and wares without letting you actually be in an orchard. The crowds were too much (I escaped the city to escape them) but luckily near the end of the road I came across the charming, simple, and pretty Willowbrook Orchard – a family run affair complete with dog named Fox.

Picking my own apples, making my own cider, eating a caramel apple in the cool fall sun was a welcome change of pace. Driving around the winding roads, looking at the mountains and valleys, clicking the camera like a mad woman, well, it was good. I relaxed, I smiled, I felt 8. When the sun began to set I knew it was time to make my way back and with apples in hand I headed home.The drive seemed so long, due in part to traffic, the darkness and gearing myself up to return to a busy, busy week (all the jobs, a friend coming to town, some events and deadlines) that would begin when I woke up.

None of it is easy and none of it is given – it\’s all choice. From the jobs I work to how I spend a day off. There\’s no magic, no set of circumstances that made it all happen – just effort and a choosing state of mind. It\’s why I can work 80-90hour weeks and take one day off to really enjoy and be present in so that it can last me until the next and why it sometimes seems as though I really do nothing but photograph apples.