apples on the ground.

i went picking for some apples.

tis the season.

right?

right.

so convinced a friend

to join me

and we headed off

on one delightfully autumnal

day.

after all

this is why

fall is so dearly loved.

because it produces

these sorts of days...

some might call them

perfect.

this particular apple orchard:

minnetonka orchards

truly did have it all.

hay mountains.

corn mazes.

open grills.

friendly animals.

kind staff members.

i was mostly interested

in the apples.

and picking my own.

and my friend?

she was interested in

a hay ride.

lucky us. 

we could head in the

same direction.

upon paying for our

plastic bag

that allowed us to

begin our search for

our

peck of apples,

we were one of the many

swarmingly

eager

apple-pickers

roaming the rows.

it was late in the day.

and the rows had thoroughly

 been picked over.

and we quickly noticed

the apple trees

no longer held any

apple in their branches.

i spotted a rosy apple

under a tree.

i picked it up.

inspected it.

thought about it.

then i bit.

and do you know?

it was perfect.

a little boy accompanied

by his parents

mimicked my action.

"honey! no! that's icky!

we don't eat things on the ground."

said his mom.

she took his hand and

the small boy and i

exchanged confused looks

as he passed by.

many of the 

eager

apple-pickers flew by

with frustrated remarks about,

"how there are no apples left!"

and

"don't they know there are no

apples here!"

and before we knew

it.

we were quite alone

amongst the bare trees.

and we began to notice.

that some someones

were dearly loving the

apples absence from

the trees.

and so this is how

our apple-picking trip

turned into an 

apple-seeking trip.

because instead of looking up

for apples.

we roamed and dug around

with the bees

to see what we could find.

and we found some beauties.

some might even have 

called these apples...

perfect.

           

you do you know?

we filled our whole peck.

and i had such a nice time.

i think i'll go back

next year.

perhaps next time

i will actually have the 

opportunity to

pick.

the apple from the tree.

but perhaps not.

and either way.

i'll still eat it.

because yes.

i do.

and i will.

 eat food on the ground.

until next 

autumnal activity...

e.kate & the retro benefit.

last night.

as the sun was beginning

to retire 

for the night...

i squeezed into a car

with a few girlfriends

and we headed west.

{and who doesn't want to

head west?}

but there was no mindless

wandering in store for us

this night.

no

we knew exactly where

we were headed.

to the orchard house.

for a very special event:

a RETRO BENEFIT

thrown to in honor of

the local Minneapolis

organization:

Urban Homeworks.

tucked contentedly

down a twisty-curvy road,

intriguingly held

by high-reaching greens

we found the

orchard house,

e.kate designs.

{click here to experience goodness.}

and much.much.more.

artists such as

circa vintage

&

ashley barlow

{who, by the way,

is quickly becoming one of my

all-time favorite

artists, see how her

work connects time spans

and tells a story...

love.}

accompanied

e.kate

in this fabulously 

vintage event.

the inside of

the orchard house

is ooohh too charming

with it's bright

turquoise walls

and sky-reaching ceiling.

the walls are tastefully

cluttered with artists

imaginative creations

to tempt and ahhh

any beauty-seeker.

to judge by the crowded

orchard house

with the lovelies mingling, 

sipping champagne,

and looking too wonderful to

not be accompanying the

art on the walls...

i must assume the

event was quite the success.

it was an

enchanting evening.

so.

the orchard house.

grab a girlfriend.

and get there.

you won't regret it.

i promise.

- n

two hands. and one heart.

in ... out.

in .... out.

it's the

in ... out.

that sometimes is the

hardest.

because i forget.

how it feels.

why it's important.

and there is only blankness.

darkness?

yes.

lightness?

i can't be sure.

whiteness.

i think.

nothingness?

nothingness?

nothingness.

it's confusing.

how can there be the

unknown amidst the known?

confusion amidst the clear?

staleness amidst the beauty?

beauty amidst the pain?

emotions amidst the nothingness?

i only have two hands.

and one heart.

how can it possibly all be held?

the opening

seems so small.

and there doesn't appear 

to be enough 

space.

in ... out.

in .... out.

it's the

in ... out.

1.2..3...

remember.

you can do it.

but.

i only have two hands.

and one heart.

how can i ask them

to hold so much?

sometimes it's just a matter

of finding the light.

and remembering how to let

it encircle...

regardless of the 

blackness

the darkness

the whiteness

the nothingness

that resides

within.

in ... out.

in .... out.

in ..... out.

breath.

just.

my friend's view through her lens.

wherever you find yourself today

find your breath.

look at your two hands.

and one heart.

and let the light

encircle you.

because today.

these things are enough.

hoping for...

- n.

  

why korea? oh i will tell you...

so you say you are interested 

in teaching abroad?

and you are thinking about coming to Korea?

let me tell you right now,

teaching abroad is not for everyone.

and Korea is probably not for everyone either...

but if your on the fence

about plans for your future,

you should consider this burst of

persuasion.

at least think about it.

number one: 

i teach some of the

cutest kids you've 

ever seen.

number two:

Koreans grow massive amount of their produce

in country.

and let me tell you...

whatever comes with the season...

will take your breath away. 

number three: the old men.

sometimes these lovely old men

 might invite

you to drink a little beer

and eat a little squid with them

because you just happened to be

sitting in their favorite spot 

in the park.

the spot where they have

 sat,

drank,

and munched on squid together

for the past...

the past forever.

number four: rice fields.

because they are just actually so awesome.

so foreign to me.

and so breathtakingly beautiful.

number five:

you get to wear amazing shoes like this...

at work.

typically with socks

showcasing the most popular 

cartoon characters.

and if it's winter...

you get to wear slippers.

number six: 

mogyoktangs. 

i.e. 

korean bath houses.

with separate bathing areas for

men and women

[yes you will be naked throughout this whole experience]

you will discover

something so wonderful

you'll wonder how you ever lived without

such pure

bliss.

picture from this fun blog.

number seven:

Korean co-teachers.

if you are fortunate enough to have them

they will make your life better.

and completely

worth it.

all you must do

is take the time to get to know them.

they've changed my life.

that's for sure.

and i will never be the same again.

number eight: 

after the long winter color emerges in the form of...

cherry blossoms.

and it's just as magical as it sounds.

number nine:

Korean baseball.

best.sporting.event.i've.ever.been.to.

no.question.

number ten:

the special coffee drinks.

best latte i'll ever drink.

made to perfection

each and every time!

and i've only just begun...

are you teaching and living abroad in

Korea?

tell me why you love it.