The Good the Bad and the Ugly

 Good morning, everyone. This is another one of those times when I sit down without a clear point of what I'm going to write about. So come along for the ride if you'd like.

The property backed up to a river.

It's a cold morning, and late fall has finally arrived. Yesterday, Ward and I explored an old family property in Virginia and drove through snow both on the way there and on the way home. Luckily, the snow was mixed with rain, so nothing was sticking to the road. However, areas nearby had half a foot, with more to come. 

Briers everywhere!

Speaking of the property, Ward's grandmother bought it over 30 years ago, and it has been untouched since then. This meant there were greenbrier and other thorny vines everywhere among the trees. The vines took every opportunity to reach out, grab us, and hang on. Despite that, we had a good day together, and I enjoyed being out in the woods even though we had thorns to contend with. 

The only thing left were the apples.

On the way home, we stopped by an orchard to get some apples and cider. It's a little late in the season, so I was pleased that we were able to find them. There was a building filled with crates of apples, and buying was entirely based on the honor system. Prices were posted, and after you made your selection, you wrote it in a notebook and put your money under a weight on the counter. They said they've been doing it that way for years without any problems. 

It was nice to be out in the country where these things happen. Also, we had to walk down a road a bit to get to the property, and two different passing cars stopped and offered help. Once again, this was much appreciated, even though we didn't need any assistance.

Last weekend, I don't know what we were thinking, but Ward and I went shopping on Sunday afternoon. We hit several stores, all of which were crowded to the point that it was hard to find parking. If I hadn't known better, I would have thought it was two days before Christmas. 

Something I noticed during our shopping was a plethora of poorly groomed clerks. Several looked like they needed a shower, and one's hands looked like he'd been digging in the dirt. At first, I was annoyed, but after thinking a bit, it may have been that these people don't have easy access to showers, etc., or they have no money and are trying to save water. I just don't know their backstory. They were not serving my food, so I decided not to be annoyed.

Martha Stewart prison pizza

Recently, while I was working, Wally and Ward went on a pub crawl. They brought me home pizza from their last stop. The pizza was named Martha Stewart's Prison Pizza. I'm not sure what made it a prison pizza because I'm pretty sure they don't serve pizza like this in prison, but it was very Martha-Stewart-like, with cheese flowers piped on top. It was delicious.

I have a plan for Thanksgiving, but it's time to kick it into gear. I guess I haven't learned and will be shopping on the weekend for things that can bought ahead of time and making some of the dishes that can made ahead of time.

That's about it. I'm done meandering for now.

Until next time...

A Second Look, October 6, 2023

 We had a few days of rain just before we left on vacation. So everything that had managed to survive the very dry summer took off while we were gone. Below are a few things I saw on my Second Look when we returned.

The rain brought a fresh crop of mushrooms around the yard.

The moss rose was in full bloom. This entire box is filled with volunteers from last year.

The yellow mums are budding.

A lone dianthus has rebloomed.

Anemones

Vinca by Ward's shop. Ward chooses flowers each year for the big urn that his father made, which sits in front of his shop.

Beauty berries are in full color. I was excited on one of our vacation hikes when I saw one of these bushes in the wild.

I've picked up five bags of dropped apples since we returned. And there are plenty more where these came from. 

I harvested the rest of the carrots. Where I thinned them as I should, they got quite large. Not so much where I didn't. I'm going to try to be better about thinning next year.

From two large growing bags, I got two potatoes. (Apple for scale.) However, that is two more than when grubs ate them all last year.

We're traveling to West Virginia this weekend to attend services for my aunt, who passed away while we were gone. Time to go pack my suitcase again.

Until next time...

Meanderings

 In my head, I've written several blog posts since I last visited with you. And they have been very insightful as well as humorous. Too bad, my thoughts are so rapid-fire that as soon as I have one, another comes along to push the first one out of the way. So, let's see where my mind meanders today. :)

There are many more where these came from.

We have been picking up dropped apples around the broken tree limb, and although the apples are still sour, they are sweeter than the ones we tried a couple of weeks ago. They are taking a while to process because they are full of rotten places and wormholes, but I have managed to get some into the freezer for pies. While working on the apples, I thought about when I was a kid and we made lots of applesauce. We didn't have an apple tree, but my father collected bushels of dropped apples from various friends. Every day after school, we would have to make a canner load (7 quarts) of applesauce. This continued until the supply was depleted and often lasted for a few weeks. My father was always scavenging for food - I think a throwback to his childhood when he earned extra money that way. We always had a good supply of blackberries, hickory nuts, and apples from his efforts. And he was a big gardener. But that's a story for another time.

I was too lazy to take the pizza out of the oven for a picture. 

Last night, we had one of our easy, frugal, but tasty dinners. We got a cheese pizza from Aldi's (16" one for only $5.99). We added shredded rotisserie chicken from Costco (4 lb cooked weight/$4.99), peppers from Uncle Billy's garden (sweet for me and jalapeno for Ward), and tomatoes from our garden. We have pizza this way occasionally, and the toppings vary with whatever we have on hand. It easily provides a couple of meals. It could have been cheaper if we had made it entirely from scratch, but it was still a very good deal. And all we had to do was push the Easy Button. And if it's easy, we're more likely to eat at home instead of eating out. And eating at home is almost always cheaper than eating out. 

Surprise iris bloom

I had a fun surprise in the yard recently. I turned around in the driveway one day and saw an iris blooming. I got these irises from an aunt, and they have not bloomed in the two years I've had them. I know it takes a season or two for one to bloom after transplanting, so I was not worried that they hadn't. Disappointed but not worried. It was a surprise to see one blooming in September when they usually bloom in April. I'm unsure what it all means, but I enjoy the bright pop of color.

Next week, we are going to the Blue Ridge with Wally and Theo. Where we're staying is not close to any town, so we can't count on popping out to Walmart to pick up something we've forgotten. And there will be no internet, which we usually use to figure out the details of where we're going and what we're doing for the next day. I think it's time to get serious with our planning. In the meantime, work and other things are keeping us busy. 

Hope everyone gets a fun surprise this week, like my iris.

Until next time...

A Second Look, September 7, 2023

I have been Second Looking in my yard for a couple of weeks now, but am just getting around to posting some of what I saw. So with no further ado, here I go.

Allium. Early on, the allium had a bad case of black aphids. I managed to get rid of them, but they stunted the growth and blooms this year.

Abelia

The anemone is blooming about a month earlier than last year.

The surprise lilies are always a pleasant surprise.

After the white 4 o'clocks have been blooming for months, these pink ones bloomed. Another fun surprise.

A rare photo of a black-eyed susan before all of its petals are eaten. I just noticed it looks like it's growing out of a violet plant. :)

The fuss-free begonias continue to thrive along our front walk.

A bird-planted sunflower in a pot on our front porch.

Vincas and petunias in front of Ward's shop.

A broken limb on an apple tree. This is an old tree, and the first time it has produced more than a couple of apples since we moved in. Over the years, it has been limbed up, so most of the apples are out of reach. Now we have some easy picking. Unfortunately, the apples aren't ripe yet and won't get any sweeter. I see a lot of sour applesauce in our future.

The bees are enjoying rotten pears. The whole area smells like fermenting fruit.

A rare sighting of a native ladybug on the fence to the vegetable garden. These days, we see mostly the problematic imported Asian ladybugs.

We have seen our first spotted lanternfly in our yard. The spotted lantern fly is new to this country and was first found in Pennsylvania. It is highly damaging to many woody plants, and they are trying desperately to stop its spread.

That's all for now. Ward and I are off to WV this weekend for a family reunion.

Until next time...

A Day in the Life- Wednesday

 Yesterday, Ward and I had a morning appointment in Annapolis, MD  We left early in case we ran into rush hour traffic, and even though there was a lot of construction, the trip went off without a hitch. We had been to Annapolis a couple of times before, but not for a long time, so after the appointment, we set off to explore the area. The goal was not to see all of the sights the state capital had to offer but to figure out the ins and outs for a future visit. As part of our search, we found a great place for lunch that had been recommended by the locals where I had a veggie sandwich (with both avocado and cream cheese) and Ward had a shrimp omelet. Delicious.

Armed with literature in hand for our next visit, we headed home mid-afternoon. Even though Ward had taken the day off, he begin working on a project that had been occupying his thoughts. I on the other hand sat down to let Annie on my lap to quiet her fussing. 

Leaving a quiet, slumbering cat on the couch, I went to the kitchen to do something that I had been meaning to get to for a few weeks now - process the apples we picked from one of our trees. We have two old apple trees in our yard and for the first time this year, we actually got a few apples we could use. They were not the prettiest, but that didn't hurt their taste. They made a delicious apple crisp.

Throughout the day, I continued to work on a project I'm doing for Ward's father. I am sorting through all of the pictures he inherited from his mother. Not an easy task because most of the pictures are not labeled and I don't know many of the people. However, I am making more sense out of things than I thought I might. And I have found some gems along the way. 

We had grilled burgers for dinner and finished out the evening much like many others - reading, playing computer games, and watching TV with cats on our laps. Last night we saw HGTV's Bargain Block which is another house makeover show. It's my current favorite.

It was an uneventful, good day. I'm planning another one of those today. And the next. And the next. :)

A few pictures:

Not only is Annapolis the capital of Maryland, but it also served as the nation's capital at one point.

It is also close to the Chesapeake Bay with a lot of water activity.

And that may be one reason why the US Naval Academy is located there.

I have black-stained fingers from cutting up these apples yesterday.

But the crisp was worth it. BTW, I used flavor instant oatmeal packets for the top. Ward bought a box to take backpacking and the rest have been languishing in the back of the pantry for years now.

One of the pictures I was able to identify - a young Ward.

Until next time...

Tuesday 4, October Thoughts

Most weeks I try to participate in the Tuesday 4 which asks four questions on various topics. Join me if you'd like.

1. What are your feelings about the month of October? Does it bring anything special to mind for you? Do you have memories to share? 

Growing up, we had a walnut tree in our yard and we would collect the nuts
to sell during the Walnut Festival.

October has several pleasant and important things associated with it. First, it is the month of my sister's birthday (which, by the way, is today), my nephew's birthday, and my aunt's birthday. Next, I think October is usually one the best weather months - cooler weather, but not frigid yet. When we lived along the hot and humid Gulf Coast, October was finally the time when being outside was a pleasure and not something to be endured. 

The big deal about October when I was growing up was the Black Walnut Festival that my town held every October. It was a three-day event (it has since grown) and we got Friday off from school because of it. A carnival would come to town which was fun even though the rides made me queasy. However, the major events during the festival for me were the parade and marching band festival that was held on Saturday. I was in the band starting in fourth grade through high school and we were either practicing, performing, or competing throughout the festival. So many more things to tell, but let me just say it was a very special time.

2. Have you ever gone apple picking? Pumpkin picking? Any kind of picking including banjo picking at all? Do you bake pies with those fruits? 

Apples from the Shanholtz Orchard in Romney, WV.

I have gone apple picking in a commercial orchard and was excited by all of the different varieties of apples. However, most of my picking has been done in family gardens for vegetables and fruits of various kinds.

I don't make many pies, but apple is my favorite and the first one that I think of to make. I never go apple picking just to get apples for a pie. I like to eat them uncooked because I enjoy the flavor and juiciness of a freshly picked apple. I can find good apples for pies in the stores.

3. What is autumn like where you live? How about when you were a child? 

The marigolds were still blooming during this October snow.

Autumn is a transition season, but generally is a return to cooler weather with cool nights and warmer days. It is usually when we start having an occasional frost and every once in a while some snow. With this colder weather comes the end of the summer vegetables and flowers. Leaves change from green to reds, yellows, oranges, and browns. This leads to a lot of raking.

I grew up in a similar four-season climate and autumn was much the same when I was a child.

4. Autumn is not the same as Fall. Fall is the time when the leaves are actively falling.  What activities of Autumn/Fall do you enjoy?  Do you decorate your door or home for the season?

With the cooler (and less buggy) weather, we enjoy more hiking in the fall. This also gets us out to see the leaves changing on a grander scale than just around the neighborhood. Pre COVID, we also enjoyed visiting some of the many fall festivals that are held. 

Like with most seasons, decorations here are minimal. Right now I have a scarecrow and pumpkin on the mantel and a Halloween decoration on the door with a couple more fall-like things on inside doors. I may still get some real pumpkins for the outside if Aldi's has any left when I go next. I always say nature does the decorating for me. :)

Until next time...

A is for Apple

When children are learning the alphabet, the letter A is often featured with an apple. Did you ever wonder why a word that actually makes the sound of A (long A as I was taught) wasn't picked like ape? Oh, well. I guess it all works out because most kids eventually learn how to read.

But I digress. We're here today for me to ramble on about apples. Apples may be my favorite fruit. There's nothing better than a slightly tart, sweet, juicy apple.  If given a choice, I prefer my apples raw as opposed to cooked--unless, of course, they are cooked in a pie. 

In my apple world, life used to be simple. When I went to the grocery store to buy apples, my choices were red delicious, yellow delicious, and granny smith. Now it seems that there is a new kind every time I turn around. However, it's just not my imagination. There are over 7500 varieties of apples grown around the world and about 2500 of those are grown in the US. For many, many years, the red delicious apple was the most popular kind in the US. I never quite understood that because I thought they were tasteless. However, Uncle Billy grew red delicious apples for a while and I got to sample one right off the tree. It had a subtle sweet taste. Quite nice. Recently, the gala apple has overtaken the red delicious as the most popular variety in the US. The top five varieties are gala, red delicious, granny smith, fuji, and honey crisp.

When I was growing up, my apple world was simpler still. My father would pick up dropped apples that people would give him from their trees. He would bring home bushels of them that we would make into applesauce. Early harvest were his favorite variety with their tart taste. During the fall, we went through periods when my sister and I would have to make a canner load of applesauce every day after school until they were gone. 

Apples waiting to be made into apple butter at the Apple Harvest Festival
in the eastern panhandle of WV.

If we got apples from the store, we paid particular attention to golden delicious because they were discovered in West Virginia, not that far from where we lived. The golden delicious apple was found on the Mullins farm in Clay County and Mr. Mullin sold it to Stark Brothers who started marketing it in 1914. They called it golden delicious to market it with their red delicious variety. The golden delicious variety may have been derived from the golden grimes apple which was discovered in another part of West Virginia in 1832. West Virginia continues its apple tradition today with the eastern panhandle of the state being a large apple grower.

One of our old apple trees.

So what does my apple world look like these days? I have a gala apple most days. Gala is my apple of choice because of decent flavor and good prices. Unfortunately, even though we have two apple trees, they have not yielded more than an apple or two for various reasons, so we buy all of our apples. 

And as for what my apple world might look like in the future?  Last year we planted a small liberty apple tree that we hope will yield nicely for us in a few years.  

I think I'm about done with my apple ramblings. I will leave you with this one bit of apple trivia.

What was Johnny Appleseed's real name?

(John Chapman)

It's the little things.

This morning started with a little thing that made me smile. I found an apple that rattled. While washing an apple before adding it to a lunch, I noticed a sound. I quickly took it to Ward to see if he heard the same thing. He, too, heard the subtle rattle with a little shake. We both surmised that there were loose seeds in the middle and that's what I found when I cut it open. I'm sure there are plenty of other apples around with loose seeds that rattle, but this was a first for me-finding an apple that I could use as a rhythm instrument. The shaker apple didn't last long because I cut it up, but aren't most things in nature fleeting even when they seem to remain the same?

As long as I'm here, let's see if I can fill in what I've been doing since we last visited. There are lots of things that I can't go into detail about because they are not my stories to tell. But I've been to three memorial services and helped a relative who was in the hospital. My new job is keeping me busy with several trainings and meetings as well as other routine things. I am slowly learning my new responsibilities but have miles to go before I sleep. I have started using a light box in the mornings after testimonials from several friends. So far, I wouldn't say that a miracle has happened from using it, but I would say that overall, I am sleeping better. Always a good thing. The porch construction is progressing well and I will probably do another porch update tomorrow.

Unfortunately, I'm out of computer time for now because I have to get ready for work.

Until next time...