A Michigan Cider Mill Day

Today was a gorgeous fall day on our trip to Michigan.

Michigan has some gorgeous foliage happening right now.

I forget just how lovely it is.   You know, to actually have COLOR in the fall.  We haven’t had color for two years on our trees on account of the “heat dome” we seem to not be able to get rid of in the summer each year.

Mr. Wonderful and I have been driving around with my aunt and cousins and just gawking at the beauty of it.

This is my Aunt Jane and Cousin Diane and we had a ball with them.

I know Aunt Jane doesn’t look like she’s having fun, since she’s looking very somber, but for some reason she always does this in pictures.  Okay, one, two, THREE and Aunt Jane loses her smile just like that…

She normally looks like this.

I love my Aunt Jane dearly and she has been a lot of fun through the years!  That’s her with my Mom, and I have a feeling these two probably got in their fair share of trouble when they were youngsters!  Aunt Jane! Do you hear me? The “no smiling” for pictures is not fooling me!

We visited a couple of cider mills today.

We got a look at how the cider mill processes the apples to make them into cider.

Here is a video I took on our iPad of how the press works.

The apples are loaded down conveyor belts and into this elaborate machine where they are pressed and squeezed and juiced and finally end up down at the bottom of the contraption.

Then it is piped through a hose into this giant silver urn where it is strained somewhat, and I’m not sure what all else!

When this is done – you can order a bag of piping hot donuts.

And buy a jug of freshly pressed cider.  You can order the cider hot or cold.

Then you head outside and eat them in a hurry.  Right Dad?

You hurry, because the donuts are warm and wonderful, and the cider is cool, sweet and delicious and it takes just like you took a straw and stuck into into an apple and sucked out all the tangy but sweet juice.

The Michigan orchards had it rough this year due to an unexpected freeze that severely hurt their normal apple crop.

So unfortunately, the prices were pretty steep.

Mr. Wonderful was floored that there was a 1952 1/2 truck just like his on the front lawn.

We had a great day out in the cool but crisp fall air, under the sunshine with my aunt and cousin.  Even my Mom and my Aunt Jane got a wee bit silly.

Sometimes an impromptu vacation just makes ya wanna jump for joy.