Apple Picking at Advanced Tree

As the weather starts to change and the air becomes a little cooler, that signals the start of fall… and with fall comes apple season! We attended opening day of the You Pick apple orchard at Advanced Tree Technology. This is a really nice farm with You Pick apples, pumpkins, and other fall goods. They also sell trees and plants for your yard.

We were so excited to attend the first day of You Pick for the apple orchard. We go every year, but we usually go a little later in the season. By that time, the apples start to get more sparse on the trees as people pick them over. But this time, we were the first ones to have our choice of apples. The trees were loaded with perfect apples, ripe and ready to be picked. We were able to fill up our bag with the most beautiful looking Cortland apples quickly and easily. Cortland is our favorite variety at this orchard, because they are tart and perfect to eat or bake. I prefer the tart and sour apple taste over the sweet apples that are normally in pies.

After filling up our bag, we headed back to shop to pay for our bag of apples we had just picked. The shop has extra varieties of apples as well as cider, apple butter, and some really nice decorative gourds. This is cash or check only, so remember this if you go to visit.

After that, we headed home, and I made a delicious apple crisp! Kroger sells the crisp mix in the baking aisle. All you need to do is mix in butter and sprinkle the mixture over the top of some peeled and sliced apples in a baking dish and bake for 25 minutes. It’s so simple but so delicious!

If you’re looking for a fun, outdoor activity to do with family or friends, this is a great choice. It’s relaxing and peaceful, and you can turn your apple souvenirs into an edible reward. Check out advanced tree technology’s online You Pick schedule to see what is available in the order at that time. As the season progresses, even more varieties become available. I hope you enjoy this fun fall activity as much as we did.

Local Sunflower Field

Last night, we went on a fun walk through the local sunflower fields about 15 minutes from our house. This is part of a farm-style park called Salomon Farm, and they have multiple varieties of sunflower. These bright yellow ones were all in full bloom. Next to this field was a section of multicolored sunflowers that weren't quite in full bloom yet, so we'll be going back in another week or so to check them out. Also, next week, they will offer a U Pick sunflower option.

This is also an excellent place for those Instagramable photos! I loved how the sunlight created such interesting lighting effects.

I will say, there were lots of bees pollinating all of the flowers. However, they completely ignored the people. I walked through flower paths with bees, but they didn’t care about me at all. It was all really peaceful and beautiful.

This park is open to the public and free. Yes, you are allowed to walk through the fields. They have rows of dirt between the rows of flowers in most areas, which make it easy to walk around without disturbing the flowers. They also have larger paths through the flowers that are great for walking in bigger groups.

If you're looking for a fun local activity, check out Salomon Farm! Throughout the summer season they offer lots of fun farm activities in addition to these sunflowers. Check out their website for more information.

Lava Float at Hang 10 Tropical Desserts

Today we took a short drive up to Auburn Indiana to try some delicious looking desserts we saw on a Facebook post. We went to Hang 10 Tropical Desserts, which is just north of the main square in Auburn. This adorable surf themed ice cream and dessert shop has surfboards for tables and a fun tropical vibe.

I ordered the Lava Float. It is orange dole whip, tangerine juice, and cherry pop rocks. It was absolutely amazing! The pop rocks crackle as you drink the tart juice. It really melds nicely together. We also tried a pineapple float, which was pineapple dole whip, pineapple juice, and crushed pineapple with a cherry on top. We sat outside on a bench in the little shopping area in town to eat.

I definitely recommend checking out this shop. It was a great afternoon treat!

U Pick Flower Garden - GardenView Flowers

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Last night, we took an outing to GardenView Flowers in Grand Rapids, Ohio. There is an absolutely beautiful U Pick flower garden there to make your own bouquets!

GardenView Flowers is in the middle of nowhere, off of a cute little country road. When you arrive, you check in at the garden stand. The owner was super kind and welcoming. They set you up with a vase and a cup to hold your flowers together. It is $12 per vase. Then, you just start picking flowers!

There are 3 flower fields. There is small one in the middle and two large fields on either side. Each field has an excellent mix of flowers, each one unique and beautiful. I absolutely love walking the rows of flowers, searching for the next perfect flower to add to my growing bouquet. You can make your bouquet however you like! I chose to use purples and pinks, with little hints of yellow. But that’s the beauty of it; you make it how you want it. Anyone can enjoy it. There’s something cathartic about searching through flowers that just makes you forget about everything else during the day.

The variety there is fantastic. They have everything from huge sunflowers towering over your head to little tiny daisies. I saw every color of flower imaginable. There really is something for everyone there. The wildflower mix was my favorite. There is just such a vast array of colors, and they really pop in a bouquet.

This amazing flower garden is also an excellent place for photos. It’s also a super instagramable location. Bring a friend and you can enjoy taking tons of pictures together!

At the end, the owner wraps your flowers up for you in a newspaper bouquet and even offered to take a photo of me. Now, we have two fresh flower bouquets in our kitchen and an evening full of fun memories. Definitely check out GardenView Flowers if you’re ever in Northwest Ohio.

JLPT Study Update 7.29.2020

As many of you know, I am studying for the JLPT N3 test. This test has been particularly difficult to study for due to lack or motivation from the pandemic. I have previously been studying with the New Kanzen Master series of books, but it felt like there wasn’t enough explanation of “how" and more of just practice for after you already know the items.

This week, I finally found a great website and a new method for learning! I started using JapaneseTest4you.com. They have full grammar lists for each test level with a detailed description of each grammar point and a ton of examples. This makes it much easier to understand.

For my study method, I’ve been writing down each grammar point, how to form it, and several samples in my own study notes. Writing it helps me to remember it. It really feels like I am making progress now.

Originally, I planned to take the test in December as a practice run. I didn’t think I would pass this time around, but I mostly wanted to get an idea of how difficult this level would be. I passed the prior level last year, and one year didn’t seem like enough time to get through all of the materials for this next level. However, I just found out that the JLPT test has been canceled for 2020 in the US. So, I’ve set a goal for myself to take the JLPT N3 in Japan next July! Hopefully by then, travel will be possible again. I think it would be great motivation to plan to take the exam in Japan.

Regardless, I will study hard and aim to pass the JLPT N3 in Japan next July!

Homemade Okonomiyaki

Tonight, I made homemade okonomiyaki. I ordered a kit on Amazon that came with all of the non-perishable essentials: the flour, sauce, toppings… There is a recipe on the okonomiyaki flour bag inside. I picked up the cabbage, eggs, and meat or non-meat toppings from the store.

For mine, I used cheese as the topping instead of meat. I also made another with bacon. These are the cabbage-heavy Osaka style okonomiyaki, so it was very easy to make. Mix up the batter first, then fold in all of the cabbage. (I also added the cheese here too.) Then, cook it in a skillet. Add bacon (or omit it) on top and flip it. Top with sauce and other toppings and enjoy! It was absolutely amazing!

Here is where I got the kit. If you try it, leave a like! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

What Even Is This Wine???

Today, I tried Urban Vines’ Lollipop wine. Urban Vines is out of Westfield, Indiana and specializes in making wine and craft beer.

This wine was actually a whole experience. It tastes just like a grape Tootsie Pop. First, you taste the grapes, as you sip in the wine. Then, as you swirl the wine around in your mouth, you taste that distinct chocolate Tootsie Roll flavor! The aftertaste is pure Tootsie Roll. I was so impressed with this wine. It felt like I was just drinking candy. But, at 11% ABV, it really isn’t candy at all. I just keep thinking, “How do they do that?! What even is this wine?” And now I love it.

Wine by the Fire

As I sit here, on the Friday night of Memorial Day Weekend, I am writing my first post about my daily life. I’m outside, enjoying the weather, drinking a glass of wine by our fire pit… so let me take a moment to just give a basic introduction.

I love travel (obviously), food, being outside, running, and learning other languages. My current passion is learning Japanese. I’m studying for the N3 level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) this year, so you’ll probably see me posting a lot about my language learning. I also am a bit of a nerd. I am a regular Pokemon Go player, anime fan, and just truly enjoy Japanese culture.

Since we can’t do much traveling at the moment, I’ve started this website to give my travel tips and insight to what my life is like on the daily. I hope you’ll enjoy my website!

Stay tuned for more updates…