Catch-Up

The last couple of weeks have been somewhat busy, what with apples, birthdays, and bluegrass.

Actually, we celebrated three birthdays a week or so back: 17yo daughter is now 18yo daughter; 5yo son is now 6yo son; and mother-in-law, who shares 6yo's birthday is a year older (won't divulge age on that one). We are very blessed by these three, and celebrate and give thanksgiving for them.

6yo's new favorite: Magnetix, given to him by Keith's mother. Loves them so much that they had to be confiscated a few days after he received them so that I could get a proper response/attitude from him about doing chores and academics. (He has re-earned them.)

As I said in the post below, we have been busy with apples since picking them last week: we've put up sliced apples (wedged, really), applesauce, apple butter, cider, and cider vinegar, and aren't done, yet. Hopefully in the next day or so, we'll get the rest of them made into cider. We may try canning some cider, although that sounds disappointing, the fresh cider is so good.

13yo setting up the cider press.

18yo has been at the peeler/corer/slicer a great deal over the past week, but she takes advantage of sitting in one place for awhile by watching multiple episodes of "Jeeves and Wooster."

This past Saturday, the Lingos of Beaverdam Creek Farm had a booth at Belle Meade Plantation's Fall Fest, and asked if our kids could play there, so we took advantage of the opportunity and enjoyed the day at Belle Meade with the Lingos. The Lovetts also were there for awhile; some of the Stouffers dropped by; and it was great to see the Clarks again.

On the way to Belle Meade

6yo, playing with a Tennessee spinner gourd at Belle Meade. He's gotten quite good at spinning it.

Coming up this weekend: the Williams/Logan wedding. We're headed up Thursday (or earlier??) to provide some help; rehearsal/dinner is Friday evening (15yo is helping with the music for the wedding); wedding Saturday afternoon, followed by reception/dinner/dancing/visiting into the night, I'm sure; and church the following day in the reception tent (because it's big enough for the crowd that's coming in for the wedding, some of whom will be attending church). Sounds like it will be a busy weekend, but we're looking forward to it--especially to seeing some of you folks we haven't seen in awhile.

Mary Susan

Apples and Food Preservation

Last Monday, the kids and I went to the Smiths' place and picked about 5 bushels of apples. It was great to see the Smiths again, and oh, the trees are chock-full of fruit! Mr. Smith says that next year will be something of a down year, since the trees are somewhat stressed with so many apples this year.

After the picking and visiting briefly with the Smiths, we had apples and burgers for lunch at a nearby state park.

6/25 Lazy Housewife beans / canned 7qts
6/30 Wild blackberries / froze 1 qt
7/4 Kraut / canned 21 pts
7/5 Basil (whole leaves) / froze 2 qt-bags
7/5 Contender bush beans / canned 3 qts
7/5 Cherokee Trail of Tears beans / canned 4 qts
7/10 Maude Wall beans / canned 23 pts
7/10 Maude Wall beans / canned 28 qts
7/16 Beans (mostly Maude Wall) / canned 19 qts
7/17 Okra (breaded) / froze 3 qts
7/18 Tomatoes / canned 14 pts
7/18 Tomato sauce / canned 8 half-pints
7/18 Pickled peppers / canned 7 half-pints
7/21 Cucumber relish / canned 11 pts
7/21 Squash / froze 4 qts
7/22 Carrot relish / canned 15 pts
7/24 Cowpeas / froze 4 pints
7/24 Corn / froze 5 pints, 5 1.5-pints
7/25 Tomatoes / canned 28 pts
7/25 Tomato sauce / canned 19 1/2 pts
7/26 Blueberries (from B. Case's) / froze 7 pts, 2 1.5-pts
7/28 Corn (from Short Mtn) / froze 5 qts, 3 1.5-pts, 10 pts
7/29 Squash / froze 1 qt, 1 pt
7/30 Cowpeas / froze 8 pts
7/30 Carrots (shredded) / froze 6 pts
7/31 Salsa ("Judy's Salsa") / canned 10 pts, 2 1/2-pts
8/1 Speckled butter beans / froze 15 pts
8/5 Diced tomatoes (mostly Romas) / canned 7 qts, 7 pts
8/6 Okra (breaded) / froze 7 bags (app. 3 c each)
8/6 Carrots / froze 11 pts
8/7 Roasted tomato garlic soup canned 4.5 qts
8/12 Crushed tomatoes / canned 19 pts
8/13 Garden-fresh-tomato soup / canned 12 qts
8/14 Pepper jelly / canned 6 ½ half-pints
8/14 Pickled peppers / canned 8 ¾-pints, 3 ½-pints
8/15 Peach freezer jam / froze 4 pts
8/15 White peaches / froze 7 qts
8/16 Basil pesto / froze 3 half-pints
8/18 Pepper jelly / canned 6 ½ half-pints
8/19 Elberta peach jam / canned 4 pts
8/19 Elberta peaches / froze 4 qts, 4 1.5 pts
8/19 Keith’s salsa / canned 13 pts
8/25 Pickled peppers / canned 7 pts
9/8 Pepper jelly (red) / canned 7 ½-pints
9/10 Pickles peppers / canned 8 pints
9/15 Applesauce / canned 10 pts
9/16 Applesauce / canned 8 pts
9/16 Apple butter / canned 6 ½-pints
9/17 Sliced apples / canned 9 qts
9/18 Sliced apples / canned 8 qts
9/19 Apple butter / canned 10 ½-pints
Sometime this past week, dried about a qt of apple slices
9/22 Sliced apples / canned 8 qts

Apple cider: So far, 8 gallons, 3 of which have gone toward making vinegar
Drying: basil, sage, feverfew, red clover blossoms
Collecting seed: butternut squash, Cherokee purple tomato, plum lemon tomato, var. peppers, var. beans

Mary Susan

More Juggling

Okay, I don't know why or how I've gotten on this juggling kick--somehow I keep following links that take me to juggling videos. I've never been a huge fan of juggling, and I can't juggle even one item--even after trying out the Klutz book on juggling years ago! Anyhow, I found these guys yesterday, and really enjoy them.

The Passing Zone

Their videos from "America's Got Talent" are also enjoyable. (If you check these out, watch "America's Got Talent - Wicked Juggling" followed by "America's Got Talent - Passing Zone - Over the Hasselhoff".)

Mary Susan

Hope Chest Done!

After years of procrastination it is finally done. Prompted by Laura's birthday (tomorrow), I have managed to save my marriage and provide a reasonably decent birthday suprise.

Keith

New Entrepreneurial Idea??

Way-yonder-cool juggling by Chris Bliss