Lunch at Pine Farm Orchard

A spur of the minute lunch with 2 good friends, Janine and Arlene, turned into an hour of laughs, good food and seeing a side of Pine Farm Orchard I had never experienced before.  I have been there a few times in the fall usually a birthday lunch but had never been there when there was snow on the ground.

What a lovely experience, their big wood burning stove was on.  It is actually a working oven, fire on one side, oven in the middle and an area on the side where water was kept warm to drink and also to humidify the air.  There really isn't anything better than the smell of wood burning.  Along with buying apples and some beautiful artwork and crafts, they also serve a great homemade lunch.

Today Arlene and I split a  tuna sandwich with a "Wild Thai Chicken Soup", a medley of wonderful Thai spices with coconut milk to calm our palettes.  Janine had one of their wonderful homemade quiches and salads.  We didn't succumb to temptation and have their Sticky Toffee Pudding, but it was sure tempting. 

I have only ever seen their front porch covered with apples, what normally seems like 100's of different varieties, they are now kept inside with the delicious cider.  Today their front porch had cedar boughs, along with tons of beautiful bird houses.

Memories of many apple picking trips with my children when they went to Devins Drive PS surfaced today as I am sure it does for a number of moms and dads from all the schools in the region when they come for lunch.  Every fall bus loads of children come in for their 1st apple picking trip and they will go home telling their parents "twist the apple off, don't pull".

New memories were forged today that will become a habit, the setting, the atmosphere in the store/restaurant, the staff and the food all make for an experience I want to do again.

It is sure to be a busy weekend coming up selling their fresh Christmas Trees.

If you are in the area, drop in for lunch, but keep in mind you should make a reservation, it is a small intimate little restaurant that gets very busy.

Here's their contact information:
 http://www.pinefarmsorchard.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pine-Farms-Orchard/176480305709285

A Walk down Willow Farm Trail

When we moved to Aurora in 1985, there were 15000 people here, lots of empty space and a small town atmosphere.  It is now 2013, there are 45,000 people here and somehow the Town has down a great job of maintaining it's small town feeling.  One of the key elements of Aurora for me are their wonderful trails, I love the way they join up the old and new neighbourhoods as they meander through the Town.

In the north end of Aurora is what I call the "Willow Farm Trail", this trail oozes tons of memories of my kids and their friends, my girlfriends and I (usually trying to get in shape) and my husband and I (enjoying a winter walk - otherwise we would be golfing).
On this particular day I set off from Toms Park on Lanewood and headed down to the Willow Farm Pond.  The colours were in full bloom.  When we first moved to Aurora, there were lots of deers in these forests, now just squirrels, chipmunks and a large variety of birds, cardinals, blue jays, sparrows, etc.

There were so many leaves on the ground that at times it was hard to decipher where the pathway was.  It also made the pathway eerily quiet, other than the noise of my camera.

About 20 years ago when my kids ranged in age from 5 to 9, they told me they were going out to play.  When I asked them where they were heading I was told "the climbing tree".  "Where is the climbing tree... Just down the pathway towards Willow Farm .... OK be careful and stay together".  This was before the time of cell phones and gps implants in your children.  So after an hour, I started to think, maybe I better check on them.  Off I head, it was summer so there was alot more foliage around, but I could eventually hear them.  I turn the corner and there is this tree below, with all of my children and about 10 more neighbourhood children perched in the tree.  Needless to say I was not impressed.  Did consider asking the town to cut it down, but figured that wouldn't get too far.  Well it is still there and really looks like a great climbing tree.  LOL

The pond was always the final destination, a good long walk there and back and if you were lucky you might see a large blue heron in the water or a snapping turtle wandering around the banks.  I had always presumed it was too long of a walk to worry about my children going all the way there and back, but sure enough one day, they come in the door and one of the kids friends is totally wet.  I look at him and shook my head and said how on earth did you get wet.  Well he took a dare and jumped in the pond.  Another phone call to another mom!!!!

 Over the years more houses have surrounded our trails and have helped to encourage more birds and wildlife into the area and some absolutely beautiful gardens.

Over the last 10 years the neighbourhood has changed a ton, on the whole for the better, the only thing missing are the 100's of children who used to be running and racing and hiding around the streets and woods.  Now there are grandparents and lots of houses for sale and being sold as my generation starts thinking about downsizing.  I'm planning on staying as long as we can and continue enjoying the beautiful Willow Farm Trail.