Apple Festival

Kate and I hit the world-famous (one would think so based on the traffic, anyway) Apple Festival in Ellijay today.  Oh, it was great.  One must experience a small-town festival at least once in one's lifetime.  This one was classic, too.  First, of course, you park in the huge field converted to a parking lot and manned by the local Boy Scout troop.  (Well, FIRST first, you endure two hours of bumper-to-bumper traffic to cover approximately two miles.  But that's another story.... Let's just say it's a good thing none of the men in my life were present.  They never would have made it.  But anyway.)  Then you join the hordes swarming the gates of....FESTIVAL LAND!

Miles upon miles (not really, but...) of booths jammed together and selling everything under the sun along the lines of pottery (MOM! POTTERY!), crocheted potholders, bird feeders, jewelry, beer jelly (yep), salvation (or trying to, anyway), chainsaw art, lawn ornaments, bottle cap art, cap guns, souvenir T-shirts, sand art, candles in repurposed beer bottles, and so on and so on.

Then you have the food booths.  Pizza, nachos, ice cream (made in a Maytag washing machine), fried green tomato sandwiches, gyros, lemonade and frozen limeade, homemade root beer, gyros, fried oreos, fried Twinkies, fried everything else, roasted corn on the cob, candy apples, apple cider, apple dumplings, homemade bread and donuts, sausage, funnel cakes (what would a festival be without funnel cakes); the choices, not to mention the opportunities for an epic case of indigestion, are endless.  All of this bounty framed by the stuff for the kids - bounce houses, zip lines, face painters, climbing walls, pony rides...oh and how could we forget the wall of Porti-Pottis?

 Griddled potatoes swathed in fried onions and Monterey Jack cheese and doused with tzatziki sauce.  

Yes. I ate that.

Oh, mustn't forget the live entertainment.. The Dixie Fire Cloggers!

Yes, it's great.  It really is.  If you've ever experienced it, though, you'll understand why we were more than OK with a night in.  We gratefully sank onto Kate's overstuffed leather sofas and savored dinner prepared by chef Andrew.  Grilled chicken, mushroom ravioli in a sun-dried tomato cream sauce, and roasted broccoli - simple but delicious, enjoyed in comfort and quiet.  Heavenly.

We drummed up just enough energy to whip up some caramel corn and apple dumplings, and now we sit, feet up, coffee in hand, companionably whacking away at our laptops.  A good day, really...