The apple of my eye
As is mandatory this time of year, we went apple-picking at a local orchard yesterday. It was a beautiful day - sunny and around 75 degrees. Every family in the state apparently had the same idea, as the joint was definitely jumping. When we got there, we boarded a tractor-drawn wagon and were then dropped off in the middle of the orchard. We were picking Red Delicious, Cortland, and Gala apples. I cautioned my husband and child not to pick too many apples because I'm really the only person in our home who eats apples (I eat one a day, sometimes two). P will eat one if it is baked into a pie. A will eat one if it is slathered in peanut butter.
The apples were infinitely more plentiful than last year. Weather problems in 2012 led to a bad crop, as I recall. I remember going to the orchard with the kid and at times we were actually reduced to giving a second look to some of the ones that were on the ground. "Well, this one is only half rotten!" This year was a vast improvement. We gathered about 20 apples, ate three, and then headed back to the main building where one pays for the apples and can buy other stuff. Patrick bought a baked good - some sort of apple square pastry thing. We also got a half-gallon of apple cider to take home and a little pint of apple cider to drink right away.
P and I sat under a tree while the kid played on a wooden train and whatnot. After a few minutes, she ran over to have a few sips of the apple cider. I watched her take a sip and then - I kid you not - lick the cap and then put it back on the container. WTF? Seriously, do you have to spell out every little thing for kids? Is nothing prone to common sense? I must admit that I never explicitly told her, "Don't lick something that you're sharing with other people." She also keeps using my toothbrush lately.
Today, I baked my husband an apple tart using some of the Cortland apples we picked yesterday. Fortunately, I can make this sort of thing without being tempted by it myself. I like apples just plain - I don't think they need to be disguised in any way. I also have issues with raisins in cookies, so I'm far from an authority on this stuff.
The apples were infinitely more plentiful than last year. Weather problems in 2012 led to a bad crop, as I recall. I remember going to the orchard with the kid and at times we were actually reduced to giving a second look to some of the ones that were on the ground. "Well, this one is only half rotten!" This year was a vast improvement. We gathered about 20 apples, ate three, and then headed back to the main building where one pays for the apples and can buy other stuff. Patrick bought a baked good - some sort of apple square pastry thing. We also got a half-gallon of apple cider to take home and a little pint of apple cider to drink right away.
P and I sat under a tree while the kid played on a wooden train and whatnot. After a few minutes, she ran over to have a few sips of the apple cider. I watched her take a sip and then - I kid you not - lick the cap and then put it back on the container. WTF? Seriously, do you have to spell out every little thing for kids? Is nothing prone to common sense? I must admit that I never explicitly told her, "Don't lick something that you're sharing with other people." She also keeps using my toothbrush lately.
Today, I baked my husband an apple tart using some of the Cortland apples we picked yesterday. Fortunately, I can make this sort of thing without being tempted by it myself. I like apples just plain - I don't think they need to be disguised in any way. I also have issues with raisins in cookies, so I'm far from an authority on this stuff.
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