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Mountain Apple Picking at the Historic Orchard at Altapass in North Carolina

October 15, 2014 1

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by Jennie

Before we left for our fall family trip to North Carolina, we made a list of all of the fun things that we wanted to do. The list encompassed all of our yearly must-do activities with a few new activities added in as well. I told the mister that the one thing I would like to do is visit a mountain apple orchard. He said to keep your eye out for one while on one of our many long drives on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Towards the end of our vacation, we still hadn’t come across an orchard, so I figured it just wasn’t going to happen. Then, one morning I thought we were headed towards another hiking adventure when the mister pulled off the main road down a very steep turn off. When I looked up I saw the Historic orchard at Altapass in front of us! Hooray! He was so excited to surprise me with this special treat and we ended up spending most of the day there. Read on to check it out.

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After browsing around in the Altapass Orchard shop, and stopping to listen to a group performing mountain music we decided to venture out into the orchard. There are several different trails that you could take throughout the orchard, and of course we picked the longest one! We ended up so far into the orchard that all of the visitors (and there were a lot that day) seized to exist, we were completely alone. We were able to observe all of the beautiful butterflies floating throughout the orchard and even came upon a buck who was happily munching in the apple trees! He darted out of there too fast to catch him on camera.

There were so many different types of apples, small tart ones, and huge juicy ones that barely fit in the misters hand. It was really cool to visit an orchard that has been around for more than 100 years!

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We walked so far that our trail eventually took us into a forest, it was still part of the orchard but so far removed that we didn’t even realize it was there until we were in it. We munched on apples as we walked (we paid for them later!), chatted and just had a wonderful time. By the time we made our way back to the apple-stand, almost everyone was gone except the employees. We bought a couple of root beer floats and sat on the deck relaxing after our 4 hour hike through the orchard. It was pretty amazing – I can’t wait to do it again next year!

+ The Historic Orchard at Altapass
Milepost 328.3 between Mt. Mitchell and Linville Falls.

3 Simple Eco-Friendly Halloween Costumes Tips

October 14, 2014 1

Carmen Sandiego

by Briana

Halloween is right around the corner, are you and the kids ready? Time to take out the spooky decor and start thinking of awesome costume ideas. Personally I love Halloween, it’s that time of year when you can be silly and let your creativity run wild. When I was a kid growing up my mom always made my Halloween costumes.  There was no costume idea that I came up with that she couldn’t do. Honestly she still helps me make awesome costumes not only for myself but for my husband and son, we always have a blast! Now let’s get into it. Here are 3 simple ways to keep your costume making eco-friendly:

1. Hit Up Your Local Thrift Shop
Not only do I love to shop at thrift stores for my everyday fashion pieces but it is a Halloween costume cave of wonders! A couple of years ago I wanted to be Carmen Sandiego, so I hit up my local thrift store in search for my costume.  Before going into the store I already had in mind what I needed to find. There were three must-have items, her famous red coat, a black hat, and a yellow band. I found an 80’s bright red oversize blazer so I used that for the coat. The final product is the photo above – what do you think?

2. Rummage Through your Closet
Last year was the first Halloween my husband and I had with our son. You can only imagine how excited I was to come up with the cutest family Halloween costumes! We decided on Mario and Luigi for my husband and son (How cute right?!). Their costumes were the easiest thing to put together. For Donavon, we needed jean overalls (yes he had a pair of jean overalls, don’t ask me why) a green t-shirt, a hat, extra green t-shirt(to cover the hat) and a hat. For my son, a red tee,  jean overalls, and a red baby hat. We used white paper we had at home and added the L and the M to the hats as well.

3. Costume Swap with a Friend or Relative
Think your past costumes are going to sit in your closet forever? Think again! Instead, call up a friend or family member and ask them if they kept any of their old Halloween costumes, not just for you but for the kids as well. When I was still pregnant I bought his Halloween costume ahead of time because I couldn’t help the excitement of purchasing this tiny little baby costume. However, when Halloween rolled around it no longer fit him, needless to say it is still sitting in a drawer and has never been used. I’m sure this is the case with many of our friends and family, so save some money and the environment with a costume swap!

What other ways are you making your Halloween costume eco-friendly?

 

 

 

Let’s Talk Pumpkins!

October 7, 2014 0

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By Amanda

This is the perfect time of year to take note of the many different uses of pumpkins! They aren’t just used as holiday props but also for eating, decorating, and body care. You may not know this but pumpkins are actually one of the most popular crops farmed in the United States each year – no wonder there are so many uses for this orange favorite!

For radiant skin, save some left over pumpkin in a can and use it to make yourself a honey pumpkin exfoliating mask. You can also make your own scrumptious pumpkin body butter that is a treat for your skin and your sense of smell! Mix some pumpkin puree, cinnamon and coconut milk and prepare yourself for a spectacular treat!

Make an awesome center piece for your dinner table by showcasing this years pumpkins in a unique way! Make your own floating pumpkin candles with little effort. Check out your local farmers market and pick up a handful of miniature pumpkins and the same number of votive candles. Use the votive candle as a stencil to trace a circle onto the top of each pumpkin and afterwards cut the circle out with a knife until the candle fits snugly inside. Complete this step for each pumpkin until you have enough the perfect amount for your water filled container. Light each candle as the pumpkins float in the water and voila a spectacular mealtime display!

What is your favorite way to use pumpkin?

Sick Day!

October 6, 2014 0

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by Jennie

Over the weekend, I started to struggle with stomach pains. Then, this morning I woke up to a whole new level of pain – so I went to the doctor. After spending half the day in the doctor’s office and having lab work done, I came home and took a long nap. I woke up this afternoon and sipped tea while the mister took over everything else. He is quite the gem! Here’s hoping tomorrow is a little brighter.

How are you feeling?

Have a Lovely Weekend + A Few Green Things

October 3, 2014 0

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Hello, Friends! How are you? Any fun plans for the weekend! We just finished up our first week back from our fall family trip to North Carolina and I have to admit I am still recovering. Why is it so hard to get back in the grove once you get home from vacation?

This weekend I plan to sit down, go through all of the photos and share some of them with you! I will give you a little teaser, think mountain hiking, heirloom chickens and pumpkins! (The intro photo is one of the wonderful heirloom pumpkins you can find in North Carolina.) The rest of the weekend will be spent playing a little catch up, celebrating our 15 year wedding anniversary, and decorating for Halloween. I am just a tad excited! While I get to work, here are a few green things I thought you might enjoy:

– I love these 5 ways to improve mood with real comfort foods!
– In the west? Here are 18 great places to spot fall colors.
– Wow! I would love to take a long distance hike.
– We live so close to the Bahamas – why haven’t I traveled there to visit the swimming pigs?
– Have extra fruit? Dry all of it in the oven!

I hope you have something fun planned for this lovely fall weekend – I will see you back here on Monday!

xo,
Sweet Greens

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