Update + 1st Apple Orchard Photos

I think we should have two Augusts and two Septembers, in exchange for November and March. Halloween could be moved to 2nd September, and Tgiving could be in October. There. Done. Of course, it’s the weather that I want changed, not the month names. That’s a little trickier.

It’s been gorgeous here – sunny and blue skies, warmish but not hot. It was pretty chilly today; we’re definitely approaching flannel sheets and the woodstove. It’s been gorgeous hiking weather – we went up The Roost trail yesterday, on the Maine side of the White Mountain National Forest. Second hike of the week, since the kids and I also did a hike nearby on Wednesday, the teacher having declared a SUN day instead of a Snow Day. I have some great pictures to post from both hikes, but I want to get these in from our family trip to the apple orchard first. We’re at peak color change right now, but these have almost none, since they were taken several weeks ago.

Anyway, I picked my pumpkins and gourds today, and the rest of the potatoes, as well as dribs/drabs of tomatoes, green beans, and ground cherries. We had sausage for supper, with applesauce I made from local apples (got 6 quarts canned this afternoon) and kale/potatoes/garlic from our garden. It was sooo good!

Also good – I paid five dollars and got shrubs & shrubs of basil, and more kale. I made FOUR batches of pesto to add to my freezer stash (we’re no longer short, now!), and three more big bags of kale for soup and casseroles. It’s looking good down there. In case of zombie invasions, come to my house. We’re just going to need to use someone else’s generator/fuel and guns/ammo.

Not good – not good AT ALL – is the continuing infestation of squash bugs. I picked the kale for supper in the final light of the day, and didn’t notice the HUNDREDS of baby squash bugs on them until I started washing them. Oh how I screeched. They are so gross. I knew they were on the cole crops, as I pulled a whole Brussel sprout plant out that was swarming in them rather than deal with it. They will burn, as I put that plant plus a few of the worst kale leaves in the fire pit. I guess I need to spray those leaves… I’m a little concerned about whether these suckers overwinter (I’m sure the answer is yes) and what that might mean for next year’s plants. I’m going to burn all the plant debris instead of composting it, I can tell you that much for sure.

Adult Ed update – I had a good talk with my students last week about appropriate behavior… instead of couching it as “we’re in school, keep it PG, or PG-13”, I discussed making choices relative the workplace and harrassment. And that we need to be able to learn and work together, so everyone needs to be comfortable and feel welcome. It all came out how I wanted – not too harsh, but still serious. Haven’t had any more problems, thankfully.

This week we’re going to do a short violin performance in a 4K classroom where one of our church members teaches. Little kids are so cute! That’s first thing tomorrow morning. I want to make apple chutney and apple preserves, hopefully tomorrow, too. Friday is a hike with some homeschool kids. We’re doing fairly well working through the material. We’re about to go from monastries and Great Britain to Turkey, Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire. I have to figure out a way to get Madelyn to vary her reading choices more. Even though I get lots of books out from the library that I think will/might/would interest her, she sticks to the series she enjoys and really fights against anything else. It’s frustrating, because she used to read a lot of nonfiction, and a wider variety of books. I don’t really want to mandate it, but that’s I guess where we’re heading. Bugger.

We are still hoping to get in one more hiking trip, but Acadia is closed (stupid government) and will wait to see what happens with that. I truly did not believe this would last a full week, and that’s where we’ll be tomorrow.

Anyway, on that note – Look! Pictures!! Beautiful nature and cute kids!!

He really looks like he’s ready to win a race:

Get outta the way!!

Awww… they still fit on the tractor together. Not many more years of that…

Bouncy house fun!

Corn maze!

I love this picture:

Owen and his best friend:

They are too cute for words.

Madelyn had fun racing through the maze, harrassing people:

My boy. He just looks so EIGHT here:

And – who can believe it – photos of me!!

Apple slingshot fun:

Scenery:

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Galas are the pretties apples ever: