"Spooky" Apple Festival

I decided to take Punky Girl to an Apple Festival at a ranch near our community, Did I just say a ranch? Yes, a working cattle ranch has orchards of apples, pears and peaches-it is quite a little jewel in the desert. As we were driving there, I told her that the trees she saw outside were called Joshua trees and we were in the Joshua Tree Forest. Punky said, "OOOOO, spooky!" I asked her what was so spooky and she said, "The forest, there are bears here." I had to laugh at this point. I said, "Punky, does it look like there are bears out there?" "No, Mom, it actually looks like the desert." Hmmm, perceptive isn't she? I told Punky that we would be safe and no bears would get us while we were apple picking. Luckily, she believed me and I didn't have to fight off bears to get us there. But, I was prepared :) We did see a few wild turkeys that live at the ranch but those aren't "spooky" enough for Punky.

While we didn't gather many apples, we did get some apple butter, a homemade apple pie (which is why I REALLY went), a few pears, and some really cute pictures.

My friend from the Midwest said the first time she saw a Joshua tree, she thought it was something out of a Dr. Suess book. She might have point if you really look at them.

Here is the "spooky" forest. I think they look like rabbits popping up all over the desert.

Punky Girl was eager to go apple pickin'

Punky and her trademark red shades-they make all the great pictures