Apples

It has been a strange week.  JP's eye surgery got moved up 2 weeks to Thursday of last week.  I helped in his office in the morning, and then drove him to surgery and home.  He had a short day scheduled on Friday, so I drove the girls to school and him to work, helped out in his office again in the morning, and then drove him to his post op check, then back to the office and finally home.  He was told that he would have gradually increasing vision over the next week to week and a half in that eye, but he seems to be having some complications.  SIGH.  I really hoped that this surgery would be the end of the story about this eye!

Yesterday I drove the country roads out to the apple orchard to buy apples for apple butter.  I have come too late, it seems for the large selection that they usually have.  I was limited to Romes, Granny Smith and a few Pippins, none of which are my favorites.  Nevertheless, I came home with a bag of each, and have had apples simmering in the crock pot ever since.  I may have to run back in a few days to get some more apples for my Secret Ingredient Apple Sauce.

I was hoping that I would get to see lots of colors on the trees during my drive yesterday, but everything was mostly brown.  I nearly got run off the road twice by water trucks, speeding to or from a gas well somewhere.  It was drizzling and chilly.  Oh well, it was quiet, and I actually enjoyed myself!

The leaves are lovely here on Poplar Ridge.

 

JP set fire to the enormous pile of sticks that the girls and I collected over the past 2 or 3 years, and had a massive bon fire raging for most of the morning.  By afternoon, it had settled down to a large pile of coals, so L decided to roast marshmallows in the drizzle.

 

The cool weather and small showers have revived my moss garden.  It is looking good right now!

We have soccer this afternoon, but that, along with Fall is winding down.

Here is my recipe for Apple Butter:

10-12 apples of various varieties, peeled, cored and quartered
1 cup water or apple cider
1 1/2 c sugar
2 t cinnamon
1 t ground cloves

Place all ingredients into the crock pot and cook on Hi for 1-2 hours, then simmer on Lo for at least 12 hours until mahogany in color.  I use the stick blender to blend my smooth before canning in pint jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.  Makes about 3 pints.