A Family Day

Mama took a half-day off yesterday, both because everyone is experiencing a bit of family-time withdrawl after our long vacation and because she is working all day this Saturday and wanted to break up the week. Also, we realized we hadn't been apple or pumpkin picking yet and have few weekends left to go.

Apple picking is something we like to do every year, enjoying munching different apple varieties as we wander the orchards, with surrounding views of beautiful fall colors. Yesterday, we discovered several new types we like: Sis preferred crunchy and sweet Macouns (which made her giggle when Mama called them "raccoons" to help her remember the name); Bud liked the huge Jonagolds, finishing an entire juicy apple that had to be bigger than my two fists together. We also really liked the Crispin-Mutsus. But we really didn't like the Ida Reds or Red Delicious. We didn't see the Fuji rows until we were leaving, but we can get those, and our old Gala staples, at the grocery store.

The first time I saw an apple tree I was almost 23 years old. And truly, I had trouble believing that apples grew on trees, having rarely seen fruit trees. I took it on faith, just like snow (which, until I was well into high school, I believed fell automatically as soon as it was freezing out, not understanding that snow comes in storms like rain). But, Gommie and I were leaf-peeping in the Hudson River Valley during my first year of grad school and decided to pick our own. And there they were--apple trees. I had never been much of an apple eater, having only know those nasty, mealy grocery store Red Delicious, but found fresh apples right off the tree to be one of my favorite foods ever.

And I think the kids are finding the same. They probably each downed 2 apples yesterday, in the orchards alone, and then another at home last night. And they've already had two today. Later, when the apples aren't at their peak (even though we're keeping them in the fridge where they'll last almost 10x longer), we'll make apple sauce and apple pie and other apple treats. But for now, they're best just cold and crunchy.

After apple picking (and visiting the market, where we also fed the ducks), we headed to the pumpkin farm. Sis wanted sugar pumpkins to bake in pies and cookies--pumpkin is her favorite flavor after chocolate. Bud just enjoyed playing and pushing the cart. I chose some spaghetti squash, butternut squash, and buttercup squash (pumpkin?) to roast and make in soups. Plus, the kids chose gourds and a big pumpkin to decorate for Halloween. We went on a nice long hayride and then headed home. But we'll be able to enjoy the bounty of our family day for days and weeks to come.