Friday, October 22, 2010

Friday's Photolife--Outings

Wednesday's answer and winner: Y'all are so smart. This week Alyssa was the first to get the answer right. It is, indeed, an apple press to make cider. Or in other words a cider press. In today's photolife I've included a view of the whole thing so you can see the process.

On to the Photolife:

Documenting outings is often in the details. Here are a few pictures from a family get together apple picking in Virginia. (There are tons more pictures, but this just gives you an idea.) Autumn is my favorite season. The crisp air. The vibrant colors. The falling leaves.
Apples.
Cider.
Look at the color of that cider--caramel, golden brown with a tinge of red. We strained it then boiled it--and partook. Taste bud heaven.
When we take pictures of outings, it's good to include as many aspects as we can. The cider dripping off the press into the pan, my nephew-in-law climbing a ladder into the trees to knock the apples down,
roasting marshmallows (my daughter and two of my nieces),
another daughter who was obsessed with the tractor we used to haul the apples from the orchard to the fire pit and cider press,

my take-home-cider waiting under my chair for the ride home along with a bag of apples, my daughter's poncho (that I knitted), and my backpack.
The memories are in the details.

Application to writing? One of the things I've been thinking a lot about lately is how putting specific details into writing makes it more vivid and sucks the reader in more and more. The aroma of the cider boiling, the crispy charcoal taste of the burnt marshmallows, the red-orange glow of the apples in the sunset, the sputtering chugs of the tractor, the buzzing whine of the go-cart, the nip in the air of evening setting in, the dirt under my fingernails.

17 comments:

Carolyn V. said...

It looks like so much fun! You have such gorgeous photos!

Yat-Yee said...

Great pics all. I love the first one especially: the barn set a little to the side, the gorgeous back ground, and the few sprigs of grass in the foreground. Love it all.

Alyssa said...

Love the pictures! Also, my blog isn't private anymore, so link away! ;)

Laura Pauling said...

My husband's been dying to build his own cider press for like years, so I think I might have gotten it. :)

Heidi Willis said...

Gorgeous photos! Fall is my favorite time of year, too! I think it must be the beautiful Virginia countryside!

(Where are these pics taken? I'm in VA!)

Tana said...

Congrats to the winner! I miss taking my kids apple picking. I wish it was closer to home. I'd go every year!!!

lotusgirl said...

It was a lot of fun. Heidi we were in Check, VA. A tiny town northeast of Floyd (if you know where that is).

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous pics! And fall harvest seems like such a happy time!

Stina said...

As photographers, it's easy for us to focus on the visual details. I really have to force myself to go beyond that. :)

Love the photos and the setting. :D

ali cross said...

Fantastic pictures! And I love the connection to writing--perfect.

Kimberly Franklin said...

Those pictures are absolutely beautiful! I'm in full Autumn evny right now! :)

Nicki Elson said...

Awesome photo documentation of your day out. I could practically taste the cider! Excellent application to writing too. The right amount of detail can most definitely place the reader right where you want them.

Hmm, I've got a little trip I'll be photo documenting on my blog later this week. We'll see if I learned anything. ;)

Tess said...

what a perfect fall post...I'm craving hot cider now...oh! and, apple pie, too.

drat...there's none in the house.

Amie Kaufman said...

I can't tell you how awesome this post is--one of my dearest friends is from Virginia, and is always telling me about making apple cider. Now I have pictures, and I can really imagine what she's telling me, thank you!

lotusgirl said...

I'm so glad you enjoyed sharing in our fall outing. It was a great day.

José Iriarte said...

These pics are absolutely gorgeous! I love the vibrant colors and the contrasts!

Kelly H-Y said...

Your pics are gorgeous ... love the vivid red in each of them! Stunning!