Milburn Orchards

Prologue

Looking for something Fall festive to do on weekends? We love Milburn Orchards in Elkton, Maryland for many reasons. I started going there to buy apples to make my own applesauce but ended up staying longer each time to enjoy all of the family fun activities they have.

Turning Pages

They have a market store with lots of delicious goodies, including apple cider donuts. Their Orchard View Deck is perfect for getting a bite to eat outside. You can also pick-your-own apples, but I always end up buying bags of their mixed seconds to use for making applesauce.

The Big BackYard is a separate admission. It includes all kinds of things for kids to run around and climb on including a tire tower and giant spider web. There's a sand box, large playground, pumpkin house, and a hay pit. We always get in line for the hayride around the orchards and then make a stop to feed the goats, watching them climb the precarious ramps around the Barnyard Buddy area.

This is quintessential Fall fare, and I'll never tire of going to places like this.

Milburn Orchards

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This book is best for reading on Fall nights, snuggled under a blanket next to a cozy fireplace.  It's the type of read that although sad at times, just makes you feel warm on the inside.

Author Juliet Ashton is in London trying to rebuild her life after the war and trying to find something new to write about. Happenstance delivers a letter from a man on Guernsey, a Channel Island off the coast of Southern England, and through their correspondence, Juliet finds her next great story. Guernsey was occupied by the Germans during WWII, and a group of unlikely people banded together to form a society for lovers of literature, and a front for gatherings during the time of occupation. This group of interesting characters leans on one another through harsh times, and Juliet finds inspiration in their stories. She begins correspondence with the members and discovers a taboo love, sweet friendships, heroic acts of bravery, and all manner of other intriguing, memorable stories. Juliet becomes so enamored with the people of Guernsey that she becomes intertwined in their lives in ways that ultimately change hers as well.

This book is written entirely in letters. It's charming, and really funny. I was surprised how often I found myself laughing. There is lightness and gloom, but it's done in a way that blends the multiple story lines together seamlessly and authentically.