joy in the Mornings

Yesterday the kids and I went to a friends house to pick apples and pears.

This friend has a number of fruit and nut trees on her property and had plenty to share, so when she offered - we jumped at the chance.

We gathered our baskets and bags and set out.

The kids had never picked fruit before and in truth, they’d never seen apples and pears that didn’t come from the grocery store.

Some of the apple trees were growing on a slight incline, so when the branches were shaken, the apples came off and began rolling down hill. My kids and the other kids who were there had a ball waiting to catch apples as they rolled toward them.

My friend also has nut trees - black walnuts, pecans, chestnuts, etc. Most of those aren’t ready yet, but the black walnuts were falling. Some of the others who joined in the day picked up walnuts, but we didn’t. We have a supply at hand so I left the others to take their share.

Now I have a box full of apples and pears and will be poring over my recipe books in preparation for canning them up.

I’m thinking about applesauce and dried apples, and canned apples, and cinnamon pears and who knows what else I’ll find.

Yum!