Natural Perspectives:

Fall is nearly upon us. Sept. 23 marks the first official day of autumn. This conjures up images of cornstalks pulled into ordered sheaves, piles of pumpkins as round and orange as the full moon, and crisp, juicy apples. In Southern California, apples are synonymous with Julian.

Vic was attending a water quality conference, and wasn’t able to go with me to Julian last week. He missed a fabulous day trip. It took me a little over two hours to drive 50 years into the past. Back to a simpler time, a time when women canned applesauce, made apple butter, and baked pies from scratch. You can rediscover the past, too, by going south on the 5 Freeway, then east on Highway 78 until you reach Julian. Then stop at a U-pick orchard and pick a peck of apples.

My first stop was MJ Ranch and Orchard. I had set up an interview with orchard manager Brian Kramer. He, in turn, had arranged for the orchard owners, Marge and Joe Rubenson to be there as well. I was overwhelmed with the warm and friendly welcome I received.

Marge and Joe bought their Julian property 23 years ago. They fell in love with the view, and bought the property at the base of Volcan Mountain with an existing apple and pear orchard. That evening, they sketched out plans for their retirement home on a napkin. They had no idea what they were going to do with an orchard, but sometimes nature alters people’s life course. Those trees meant retirement wasn’t in their future.

They switched careers from engineering for Joe, and mathematics and psychology for Marge, to second careers as ranchers and artists. Marge maintains a pottery studio on the bottom floor of the house. Joe has recently published a book of his photographs, “Julian Magic: Small town country pleasures.” The book is as warm, homey, and delicious as an apple turnover. He’s working on a second book.

I had heard that Marge and Joe have been married for more than 60 years. I tried to entice them into telling me how long they had been together by commenting that Vic’s parents had just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

“They’re amateurs,” said Joe.

“Kids,” laughed Marge.

I couldn’t believe they were old enough to have been married that long. Marge bounced around the orchard picking newly ripened apples and pears with the enthusiasm of a kid in a candy store.