Apples

In the spring I posted of beautiful white flowers emerging bringing in the season. The smell of Apple blossoms drifting on the cool spring breeze. Of robins nesting in the crook of the old apple tree. We watched as the little blue eggs hatched and the chicks grew and flew away.

On through the summer I watched as the young apples grew with the passing of the warm days . Fearing that the heavy rains would cause rot and diseases. We hung soap to try and deter the deer from eating them. And we watched and we waited.

When I look at these apple trees I remember setting them out when they were no more that 18 inches tall. Just sprigs! And now look at them tall and loaded with apples. I watch my grandchildren crawl into the branches looking for ripe apples. O Wise One and I feel such a sense of accomplishment. Look what we have done : )

And the waiting for this year is over. God has again blessed us with an abundant apple harvest.

So now we work : )  

Plenty of applesauce for Baby Hank in small jelly jars. Just perfect and fresh for a little guy to learn how to eat solid food. A few larger jars for the older kids and maybe some apple sauce cake. 

Canned Apple Pie filling for pies this winter.

And a new experiment. Apple Pie in a bag. This was so easy but the real test will be the taste. I think this would be good for cobblers too but will have to play with it and tweak it maybe. In canning it seems there is always something new to try. A new recipe or a new techinque. If it works maybe we'll do peaches too.

We have several bags of apples that O Wise One will take to the neighbors to share in our good fortune.

And then we wait for spring again and the apple blossoms to return to start this cycle all over again. Year after Year : )

Blessings from The Holler

The Canned Quilter