On Monday, we went for our third annual Labor Day Apple Picking Event. We considered rescheduling due to the forecast of heavy winds and rain, but we really had no other plans for the day, so we consulted Doppler Radar, hoping we could find some good news. Doppler Radar indicated that, if we were to reroute to different orchard slightly east of the way of the area Tropical Depression that was supposed to roar through, we could escape the dark green evil patches by approximately 1 mile.
Quite Easily Done! We were convinced that all would be well. We would be safely one mile away from torrential downpour. Surely, it would be warm and sunny where we would go?! No?
Without even packing the kids’ raincoats or the jogger stroller, we shoved the kids in the car and headed off. It would be fun. It would be an adventure. A little drizzle wouldn’t dampen our spirits.
Oh wait. Yes, it would.
First, a little drizzle would dampen Dylan’s socks, which would cause him to be wet, and then he would become instantly cold as he has -4% body fat. Thenceforth, he would whine, “I’m cold, I’m cold, I’m cold,” dragging his soggy feet and poking himself in the eye with a battered umbrella. Anika, who I was literally shoving through the grass in the umbrella stroller whose wheels would not turn in the ankle high wet grasses, also took up the “I’m cold” chant. This was all whilst the Providinator and Addie attempted to distinguish between Golden Delicious and Matsu Crispin trees. (As if there could have been any possible reason to care at that point.)
So, unlike years’ past where we had delightful pictures such as this. . . .
or this . . .
or this . . .
or this . . .
this year I can offer you this lovely of our kids sitting back in the car. wet clothing removed, watching a Pippi Longstocking movie, with the wet orchard in the background.
The Providinator finished picking and we headed back down the mountain. Ah, such is life. Maybe we’ll try again in October.
On the upside, we got a bushel and a half of apples for $27. Yum. I guess I need to learn how to can applesauce now. 🙂
Apple butter!!!
In years to come it will be a wonderful memory you can all laugh about! I loved the sign on the wall above the apple bounty – As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!
That says it all!
In years past, before the upstairs at your grandmother’s house was finished into bedrooms, we used to sneak up there to get apples. She kept several bushel baskets full of them in the unheated part which later became your mom’s bedroom. The were always crispy and delicious. Ah, memories… 🙂
She was just telling me how her Grampa Blake used to store them with sheets of newspaper between them in a cool place. Alas, the only cool place is her extra fridge and last year I found that the varieties I got kept only about 6-8 weeks. Perhaps if we go in Oct, I will try to get some of the longer lasting varieties.