The Best Thing About Memories is Making Them

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About the Images

This post was inspired by the poses by Extra. Nothing time-sensitive to point out since the post got delayed by my real-life work. Such is life when you’re self-employed, I guess!

Complete credits are below the story. And store and event SLurls are available on the Store & Event Links page.

The Story

The crisp October air greeted Serena and Gavin as they stepped out of the car, shoes crunching on the gravel driveway. Serena inhaled deeply, savoring the scent of fallen leaves, fresh earth, and the faint sweetness of apples hanging ripe from the trees. She smiled at Gavin, who was stretching after the long drive. His eyes were already scanning the rows of apple trees that stretched out ahead of them.

“It’s perfect,” Serena said softly, slipping her hand into his.

Gavin gave her a warm smile, squeezing her hand gently. “Yeah, it really is.”

They had both been looking forward to this trip for weeks. Between Serena’s constant flow of photography gigs and Gavin’s unpredictable hours at the animal clinic, their schedules rarely aligned these days. They often found themselves exchanging late-night texts before rushing off in different directions. But this weekend, they had finally carved out time for just the two of them—a quiet escape to the countryside to stay at a cozy bed and breakfast and a day of apple picking at a local farm and orchard.

The B&B was an old Victorian farmhouse nestled between rolling hills a few miles from the orchard. They’d checked in that morning, greeted by the smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls and the warmth of a roaring fireplace in the front parlor. The room they had been given had creaky wooden floors, a canopy bed covered in quilts, and large windows that overlooked the farm’s pastures. It was the perfect retreat—calm, rustic, and far from the hustle of their usual lives.

Now, they made their way toward the apple trees, a wicker basket swinging from Gavin’s arm. The rows of trees were dotted with people, but the orchard didn’t feel crowded. Serena looked up into the trees watching the sunlight filter through the branches, painting dappled patterns on the ground. The apples were a vibrant red, their skins glossy under the light.

“I haven’t been apple picking since I was a kid,” Gavin mused, his voice full of nostalgia. “My mom used to take my brother and me every fall. I remember we’d come home with way too many apples, and she’d make apple pies for weeks.”

Serena grinned. “Well, you’re in luck. I’m pretty sure we’ll end up with way too many apples today, too!” She pointed to a nearby tree, where apples hung low, their branches heavy with fruit. “How about those?”

“Good eye.” Gavin walked over to the tree, reaching up to pluck one of the apples with ease. He turned it over in his hands before offering it to Serena. “Taste test?”

Serena took the apple from him, biting into it with a satisfying crunch. The juice was sweet, with just a hint of tartness. “Mmmm, perfect,” she said, handing the apple back to him so he could have a taste. Gavin took a bite and nodded in agreement.

As they wandered slowly through the orchard, the soft bleating of sheep caught Serena’s attention. She stopped, looking around until she spotted them—a small flock of sheep roaming freely through the orchard, nibbling on apples that had fallen to the ground. Some of the apples were half-eaten, others lay scattered among the leaves, and the sheep seemed perfectly content, trotting from tree to tree, munching away.

“Look at that,” Serena said, nudging Gavin and pointing. “They’ve got a sheep clean-up crew here!”

Gavin laughed. “Well, that’s efficient. A free-range recycling center!”

They moved closer to the sheep, who barely seemed to notice them. One of the larger sheep looked up from a pile of apples, chewing slowly as it eyed them. Serena crouched down, fascinated by how calm they were. She’d never seen sheep so casually munching on fruit like this, and the sight made her smile.

“Think they like the tart ones or the sweet ones better?” she joked.

Gavin shrugged, watching the sheep lazily drift toward another tree. “I’d guess sweet, but who knows? They seem pretty happy with whatever they’re getting.”

As Gavin and Serena picked apples, they found themselves working alongside the sheep, who moved slowly and steadily between the trees, clearing away any fruit that had fallen. Serena chuckled every time a sheep wandered near, nibbling at the apples she and Gavin had overlooked. The scene was surreal yet peaceful. The sheep gave the orchard a sense of life and simplicity that was far removed from the chaos of the city.

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After a while, they found a quiet spot at the edge of the orchard, where the trees thinned out, and a wooden bench sat beneath an old oak tree. The view from the bench overlooked the rolling hills of the farm, with golden fields stretching toward the horizon. Serena sat down, pulling her flannel jacket tight around her as a cool breeze swept through the air. Gavin sat next to her, setting the basket of apples at their feet.

For a few minutes, they sat in comfortable silence, watching the world around them. One of the sheep had followed them, lazily wandering into view and plopping down beneath a nearby tree. Serena smiled at the sight of the sheep, still chewing contentedly on a fallen apple.

“This is nice,” she murmured, leaning against Gavin’s shoulder. “I wish we had more time like this.”

“Me too,” Gavin said, his voice soft. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer. “We’ll find a way to make it happen more often. I promise.”

She looked up at him, catching the sincerity in his gaze. “I know.”

They sat for a while longer, content to be together, with the weight of their busy lives lifted, if only for a short time. Eventually, the sun began to dip lower in the sky, casting a warm orange glow over the orchard. Serena sighed, knowing they would have to head back soon, but not quite ready to let go of the moment.

“Ready to head back?” Gavin asked, his voice reluctant, as if he could sense her hesitation.

“Yes,” she said softly, standing up and stretching. “But let’s stop at the farm stand before we go. I hear they’ve got fresh cider.”

Gavin smiled, taking her hand again. “Cider sounds perfect.”

As they made their way back through the orchard, they passed by the flock of sheep again. The one that had followed them earlier was still lounging under the apple tree, a few half-eaten apples scattered around it. Serena giggled, waving goodbye to the sheep as they walked past.

At the farm stand, they picked up a jug of freshly pressed cider and a warm apple turnover to share on their way back to the bed and breakfast.

Later, after a quiet evening by the fireplace at the B&B, they found themselves curled up together under the quilted blankets, the sound of the wind rustling outside their window. Gavin shifted beside her, his arm wrapped around her waist. “This was a good idea,” he whispered.

Serena smiled in the darkness, her heart full. “Yeah, it was.”

They fell asleep to the soft crackling of the fire, knowing that for the first time in a long while, they had nowhere else to be but here—just the two of them, in this small moment, together.

CREDITS

Serena

Wings ES0530-HAIR
Angel Eyes Baby Hair 15 Hairbase
IKON Halcyon Eyes Eternal Pack
Glam Affair Soraia
Cazimi Coffee Date Eyeshadow
Glam Affair Soraia Lips Toner
e.marie Keila Earrings
Kibitz Marla’s Necklace
fashionably dead Grunge Girl Dress & Wrap
Vibing Olivia Rings
Friday Knit Tights
DEAD DOLL Victoria Boots

Gavin

Wings TO0109-HAIR
IKON Splendor Eyes
Not Found Jerry Skin
Deep Static Anson Glasses
Volver Emilio Plaid Shirt
Cold Ash VANCE Jeans
Semller Worn Canvas Lo Tops Festival Edt.

Poses

Extra Apple of My Eye
Extra Orchard Life

Scene

Botanical Dirt Road
CHEZ MOI Off Road Car
HISA Climbing Vines
Hive Harvest Round Straw Bale
HPMD Sweet Garden Grass
Jian Down on the Ranch Barn
Jian Highland Farm Fence
Jian Hillside Orchard
Jian Sheep Collection
Little Branch Apple Trees
LOVE Old Muddy Boots
LOVE Cornfield
Nutmeg Beehive Pair
Nutmeg Cafe Entrance Sign Board
Nutmeg Garden Sink
Nutmeg Tin Tools Cart
Pixel Mode Fall Harvest Bell
Studio Skye Terrain Textures Autumnal
Tool Shed EXT Apple Orchard Board
Tuesdays Wrought Iron Frame
{what next} Orchard Ladder
{what next} Orchard Basket
{what next} Orchard Fallen Apples Decor