It was a Sunday afternoon, and Nathan had already left for the airport for work travel the coming week. It rained the better part of the weekend, but the afternoon finally opened up to give way to heat and humidity, and Harrison and I needed to get out of the house. We headed way out south to Louisburg Cider Mill for some outside exploring and apple cider.

Nathan and I would come here on day dates in the fall many years ago. Getting to watch the apples being peeled and pressed into apple cider, sitting on the lawn listening to a bluegrass band playing on the stage. It’s a simpler life out in the country, and one that I yearn for when fall comes around.

Harrison cuts in on the big kids’ games, thinking that he’s going to play too. I’m always thankful when the big kids will let him “join” pulling their rings off of pegs, or pushing bean bags through the cornhole game.

But what we really came for was the apple cider donuts. It’s what I come for every year. And they never disappoint. I think Harrison agrees.