2} Since it’s been so warm we’ve had popsicles. Outside. These popsicles? Todd called them the Sharpie Permanent Ink brand of popsicles. I don’t know what it was about them, but they stained the kids lips, clothes, and hands terribly.
3} We had those stain your face popsicles at my parents house on Saturday. After the boys soccer practice we made the short drive there and spent the afternoon picking apples, prepping apples, making sauce, and homemade cider. And see that pic below? Taken with my cell phone. I was pretty impressed.
4} Normally, when we process apples we’re freezing. We’ll huddle in the garage sipping coffee and taking breaks inside. This time? It was over 80degrees and we all had shorts on — so cleaning up became easy with a hose and driveway. That part was awesome. Who doesn’t like easy clean up?
5} My dad made his own cider press. The apples that we prepped were run through the press and gallons of homemade cider were processed. This is not your store bought cider — we are pretty spoiled to have a freezer full of this homemade goodness lasting us through winter. If you’d like to see more pictures of our cider making day, Hannah has a beautiful post written about it on her blog Aspire.
6}Along with the cider making came a collection of yellow jackets that decided it was cool to hang out by the sticky apples. And, of course, that means of everybody there only I get stung. Any remedies for a still swollen site? {I’m sparing you a picture of that arm of mine…}
7} I’ve got a harverster type question for you — what do you do with lavender? I’ve got two beautiful mounds of it in my yard. Do I cut it down and then dry it? Tell me what you’ve done with that lovely plant.
8} Now, today, Monday. I’m going to embrace the day and live fully. I’ve got a very full week — homeschool classes, teaching, ballet, and some fun blogging things coming on — including some great giveaways later this week. I have to keep reminding myself that it’s a blessing to be busy. I think when we start to lose that perspective it becomes easy to grumble about all that needs to be done — and that just slows one down.
I’ve got a thankful heart.
15 comments
I love fall and all of the fun traditions. I wish we had an apple press. I can see why you are spoiled. We had such a dry summer in TX that our fall leaves aren’t as vibrant this year either. Hope you have a great week!
Ooh, lovely! Do you have any apple recipes? we have two bushels of apples sitting in our dining room, waiting for something to cook with them. 🙂
We usually snip out laender and dry it. The becomes a gift to a friend, a lovely house decoration, etc. 😀
Love,
~bree
Ohh I am jealous of your homemade applesauce and cider! We have an apple tree in our back yard but we pruned it a little late and this year it only produced one apple… and a squirrel stole it.
I was sad that we were able to go to the pumpkin patch yesterday in short sleeves. Somehow it just doesn’t feel the same…
love your thankful heart 🙂 despite a not-so-autumn-ish autumn.
Maybe this atypical fall will bring an atypical winter… Only a few snow storms, snow on Christmas and then that’s that. You might miss it though, just a little. : ) We always have 80 degree falls here. Still not used to it.
Your parent’s house always sounds and looks simply beautiful. Makes me want to go! Boo to bee stings! I’m sorry. The cider press is so neat. I want some!
Enjoy this day. I hope your week is full of learning and love!
Xoxo!
Temps here haven’t been cool either but just a few days. On which I relished every possible breeze available. I have to say that those fall colors are a lot more beautiful then what we have here. We never seen fall foliage. It’s disappointing really.
Picking apples and such sounds like a great time spent with the family. I vow to take my kids apple picking some day. I just have to find an orchard some place close by. I have been on the hunt for awesome pumpkin farms lately.
We always make homemade apple cider…never buy the store stuff. Don’t like it too terribly much. So I guess I’m sorta spoiled as well. But we don’t make batches and freeze it although that sounds like a great idea!
Sounds like you are going to keep busy this week! Have an awesome week!
Mmmm, I’ll bet homemade cider is fantastic!
Baking soda with a few drops of water to make a paste does wonders for bee stings/wasp stings, etc. I sat on a wasp this summer (lovely!) and got my first sting in many years — ye-owch. I think the Lord was reminding me to be more sympathetic when my kids get stung! 🙂
Actually, the fall colors are lovely, Rachel – we have zilcho colors down here in TX and miss it! My mom sent us some leaves from MI this week and we’re all enjoying that little bit of fall.
I bet there have been memories on top of memories made at your parents home. How wonderful! I hope I’m creating wonderful memories for my grandchildren that they will always remember. Even though we sure don’t have an apple press. :o)
Loved sharing in your Monday and wishing for you a beautiful week!
I’m so sheltered. I didn’t even know people could make home-made apple cider! My boys would love that! Thanks for the beautiful pics too! You’re a great photographer as well as blogger! 🙂
yummy cider! love that you made your own. fall is in full swing here but we have had some crazy warm temps this past week. I think cooler air is coming though…
homemade cider sounds amazing!
We have had a mild fall here as well. We went to the pumpkin patch and were sweating….I am hoping this means a mild winter…
Loveyour blue stained Samuel 🙂 Very cute~
For swollen anything….plantain whizzed in the blender with a bit of water and applied to swollen area works great. Plantain grows like crazy in our Iowa yard not sure where it grows where you are.
Lavendar~ dry it and put some in a cloth bag, hang in your bath water….mmmmmm~ It’s also good in cloth bags for placing in a drawer to make it smell good 🙂
Love your apple cider maker~
~Cinnamon
Didn’t read other responses so maybe you already have answers. If you’re allergic, Benedryl cream. If it’s hurting, Ed got stung and heard that Adoph’s meat tenderizer is supposed to help.
I want apple cider!!!!!!!!!!!
Praying right now!
Psalms 86:15-16 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.
Prayer Bears
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We picked apples when it was pretty warm out too…strange. It’s starting to cool off again. Popsicles are fun anytime of the year! I must see more to this cider so I have to go. Have a great week 🙂
Love the apples pic.