Apples, Apples, (and more) Apples.

When we planted our fruit orchard a few years ago (2010), we planted two apple trees, a Golden Delicious and Fuju.

This year we had a bumper crop, and even though we thinned out buckets and buckets of apples earlier in the season, we still had plenty. However, it was a hard job for our still smallish trees. We had to brace several tree branches up, so the weight of the apples wouldn't break the limbs off. 

Poor things. 

For the past week around here it has been all about apples.

Why I never invested in an apple peeler before this year, I will never know! 

This apple peeler, corer, slicer, thing-a-ma-jig is amazing! 

Who knew? Obviously NOT me. 

Last Wednesday I went to my friend, Paula's, and participated in her applesauce class she was teaching. 

Paula has a beautiful home and farm over in Gridley, 

Windmill Farms- you really should go and have a visit with her. 

Paula is a kindred spirit, and I always enjoy a good visit with her. 

It was fun to spend an evening in her kitchen, with the other gals as well, making applesauce together. 

It reminded me of what it might have been like back in the days when women folk would get together and help each other in the kitchen during the harvest season chores. 

I now have my pantry stocked with 

Apple sauce & Apple pie filling

Dried apples...

some dried with skin on...

skin off...

and sugar candied...

I cooked down a batch of apples to get the juice out, so I can make Apple Jelly tomorrow. 

Just about now I am sitting with a piece of pie, (because it is not at all possible to have this many apples and no pie) and a hot cup of tea. 

That, my dear, is all I have to say about Apples.

The Girasole Lady

Finished Pumpkin Book Project

The Pumpkin Book is finished...

(or do you call it a book pumpkin?)

and because I'm terrible at tutorials

you'll have to visit  HERE to get the tutorial from my daughter's perspective. 

and since I'm finally getting in the FALL 

feeling, I went to the Pumpkin Patch yesterday and 

gathered up a few pumpkins

and since I gathered up these very fine pumpkins yesterday,

this morning I set the goods out on the kitchen table

see that metal can, to the far right, with the lavender in it?

 It's the old milking can that my Grammy used for goat's milk 

when she was a young girl

Lovely, isn't it?

The Girasole Lady

Pie's & Pickles

Seems the temperature has been cooling down just a tad bit, we're in the mid to high 90's. While not always feeling quite cool enough, it certainly is much cooler than in the past couple of weeks.
In light of that, I'm feeling a little more like myself again.

A trip to Saturday's Farmer's Market found me some blackberries for a nice pie.

Picked some cucumbers from the garden and put them up to pickle...

I've tried several pickling recipe's and wasn't happy with the outcome.

Last year I tried a package mix of Mrs. Wages and LOVED it! 

It's easy and delicious.

I'm enjoying the coolness, especially in the early morning when I spend most of my time outside in the gardens. I have lots of zucchini and think I'll be making some zucchini bread today.

It's a good day.

The Girasole Lady