Sunday, October 16, 2011

If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe.


The title of the post is a quote attributed to Carl Sagan. Creating the universe may be impossible, save for the schizophrenic few, but we can always do the next best thing - marvel at the mysteries of the universe before us and indulge in some apple picking in an orchard nearby. Ya, you can use them to make pies, if you want to, but if you are like me and find cooking a chore, then the marveling part alone should entice you. Yet, it took me two years to take a bite.

Apple picking is an activity that is highly popular here, in the northeastern United States. Every Fall, orchards are open to public and consumers can pick their own apples from the sprawling fields. Yes, this is essentially a method of purchasing apples, given that you pay pay per pound in most places, but, it is widely seen as a social activity and a popular dating ritual.

A popular fall pastime, maybe, but for the last two seasons whenever I received club emails talking about apple picking trips, I never understood the fuss; they are just apples for heaven’s sake. How can apples be anyone’s idea of a time well spent. Yes, apples have touched the lives of many - from Norse mythology to the Newtonian legend, from the Garden of Eden to Steve Jobs’ legacy; but, apple picking? Are you kidding me? I would rather struggle up a mountain than dance around trees.

But I must admit I was wrong. This time, when RPI’s photography club sent their email out, I thought I would check what the fuss was all about, if only to get away from my godforsaken thesis. With a camera in hand and the changing fall colors in the background, the orchard really is a paradise. Here are a few pics from yesterday afternoon. They don’t do full justice to the serenity of a pristine, clean and picturesque landscape.









Would I go again? Just to clarify. I would still rather struggle up a mountain than go apple picking.  But, for a bored afternoon, an apple orchard is a great place to be with your camera in tow. Moreover, the sky was gloomy yesterday. I would like to capture the landscape under blue skies.

Until next time.
Cheers.

6 comments:

  1. Ah!...that's a lot of apples...and u took 2yrs for the first bite? lol
    gr8 pics :)

    Cheers!
    SUB
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  2. Thanks Sub, the wait was well worth it.
    Btw, congratulations.

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  3. i am so over fruits these days..i wonder if i would go apple picking....

    and they have way too many apples there, well why not, that's what the place is for :D

    #_#
    The Blunt Blog

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  4. Chintan, was just checking. UK is in fact one of the biggest importers of apples. To do some picking you may have to go down to France, that is if you haven't gained the stereotypical British aversion for anything French :)

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  5. Just so long as your camera lens stays with tree apples and not "road apples." As always, nice pics.

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  6. Thanks ABFTS. I had to google "road apples". Hadn't heard of the term before. But I got to say, there's a phase when a newbie wannabe photographer doesn't hesitate to focus on just that :)

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