APPLE LADY!!!

The Apple Lady by Mary McDonald

Autumn on the Central Coast means Gopher Glen Apple Farm is open for business! 

It also means "weekly" meandering drives up See Canyon... cider & apple tasting... apple crisp... chunky apple sauce... AND decision making ~ what apples to buy? how many pounds can we eat in a week?

AND - it means ACE (kindergarten teacher "extra-ordinare") pulls out her library of APPLE books & structures a week of lessons about her favorite fruit...

This story begins in the cozy, gingham decorated kitchen of the Apple Lady (actually the mother of the author). Over breakfast, Dawn learns her grandmother needs some help selling apples at their farm stand.

Pippins... Jonalicious... Braeburn... Winesap... Jonathons... how can anyone know which apples are best for lunches? best for cooking pies? are long lasting? 

The Apple Lady knows that information, of course!

Oh no! In an effort to help her Grandmother, Dawn spills a box of apples. While Grandmother collects the apples in her red & white gingham apron, she tells Dawn they can use these for apple cider.

Dawn gets her chance to help Grandmother when it gets busy at the tasting and check out stand.

She is asked to give "tastes" of the cider to the children waiting in line with their parents. My daughters, ACE & SLE will tell you, "Nothing is as tasty as Gopher Glen apple cider on a hot day!"

The Apple Lady suggests that Dawn take a break from her job of pouring cider... Sitting on her perch atop the tractor, Dawn enjoys her own cup of apple cider. When ACE & SLE were in preschool & elementary school, this tractor sat outside the fruit stand. 

I'm sure you'll enjoy reading this book to find out what happened at the end of a busy day with the Apple Lady.

Books can be purchased at GOPHER GLEN APPLE FARM or from the APPLE LADY....

This story is about Dr D's wife, who ran the family apple stand. Both my daughter's were patients of Dr D ~ their orthodontist. If Dr D's clients lost their retainer's, Dr D would give them an "opportunity" to work at the apple stand to pay for another retainer! In addition to Dr D's patients, the apple stand clients, the residents along See Canyon Drive, the hundreds of people in SLO County and the DeVincenzo family, this book now reminds us of the love & devotion of the Apple Lady & her husband, Dr D, who have now passed away.

TAKEN IN HASTE!

"Taken in Haste"  
San Luis Obispo sky ~ 9/28/10

"90 Seconds Later"
same location & date

"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives."

~ Annie Dillard, American novelist

best known for her narrative nonfiction

won Pulitzer Prize (1975) Pilgrim at Tinker Creek

REMINDER to SELF!!!

S-L-O-W  D-O-W-N!

F-O-C-U-S...

A PURPLE DAY!

DON'T THESE FLOWERS MAKE YOU FEEL

C-O-O-L-E-R?
 today was

HOT! HOT! HOT! 

& 

unusual weather for our beaches

END OF THE SEASON??

Avila Barn raspberries ~ 9/11/10

FALL is JPE's favorite season... 

he loves the beginning of school, pencils & notebooks, pumpkins, AND the end of canning season??

Well, I think he's finished? we'd have to rearrange the garage if he plans to do anymore canning. 

Two weeks ago, JPE made "gourmet" Raspberry Jam (without pectin - he likes to tell everyone he doesn't use pectin)... the recipe isn't particularly "gourmet" but the flat of berries was $40. making each jar worth more than $5. (factoring in the cost of sugar - NO pectin means you use a lot of sugar!)... 

JPE is gone this weekend & I was looking for a jar of our "gourmet" spread - ummm... I can't find it on the shelf - Do you think he hid it?

INDIAN SUMMER???

"PASSING CLOUDS"

7/23/10 ~ Nottinghill, London

Indian Summer along James Way

INDIAN SUMMER...

The air is still, birds have emptied the hummingbird feeder, and a blue jay is screeching his displeasure that the feeder has no seed... I'm sipping a glass of ice tea, puttering around the house, and enjoying having the windows & patio door open! Living on the Central Coast, our summers are foggy, sometimes damp, and our beaches are a refuge for people escaping the heat of the inland areas.

What does INDIAN SUMMER mean? this term dates back to the 18th century in the United States & is defined as any spell of warm, quiet, hazy weather that may occur in October or even early November.

I've always believed INDIAN SUMMER marked  the period when the Native American peoples harvested their crops.

This weather reminded me of a picture I had taken in London. See the cloud passing on the left of the Indian's head? I took this picture looking into a store window... I didn't notice the reflection of the cloud until I downloaded the picture onto the computer.

The profile of the INDIAN looks very similar to my dad's - he was a Tongva (Gabrielino, was the more common name) / Acjacheman (also known as Juaneno). My dad's ancestors lived in the area around the San Gabriel Mission in So California... he would have loved today's weather...

The INDIAN head was located on one of the sewing machines displayed in a clothing store window... 

BRITS really know how to attract clients INTO their stores. I wasn't the only photographer taking pictures!!

WEEKWORD = COMFORT

"Animal crackers, and cocoa to drink,

That is the finest of suppers, I think;

When I'm grown up and can have what I please

I think I shall always insist upon these."

~ Christopher Morley, American novelist & poet

BYW blogger friends!! You're invited to participate in WEEKWORD.

Each Monday, a different blogger selects & posts a word on their blog. You leave a message with the blog host(ess) to let them know you would like to post your "creative interpretation" of the word of the week. The host(ess) will make & post a list of participants on their blog. Your "creative" thoughts, pictures, artwork, stories - whatever suits your fancy... should be posted by Friday evening of the same week. Then hop around the participant's blogs to see what they posted. It's a blast!

Check DOMESTIC SCRIBBLES on Monday to see what the WEEKWORD will be....

This week COMFORT was the WEEKWORD.

I think Allie (our WEEKWORD hostess) & I could have a slumber party! Click on  ALLIE IN LONDONLAND to see what I mean.

We've been cleaning & downsizing our storage unit!! Look what I found??

Some FLANNEL - the reindeer flannel would make some adorable pajama bottoms... then I could buy a red t-shirt & I would have one Christmas present checked off my list.

C-O-M-F-O-R-T is:

Flannel pajamas OR flannel sheets (these Flannel Sheets would look great with my bedspread!)

Cocoa & animal crackers (but, my all-time favorite holiday cookies are Coconut Cranberry Chews um - they can be addicting!). Actually, my cut-out Christmas Cookie recipe is yummy too. Can you tell I LOVE cookies??!!??

AHHH - off to DREAMLAND!

WEEKWORD = COMFORT

pic taken 9/19/10 ~ James Way

"Only the heart knows how to find what is precious."

~ Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Russian novelist, known for writing Crime & Punishment & The Brothers Karamazov

It's time to play WEEKWORD!

Click on, Allie in Londonland & let her know you'll be posting your creative "interpretation" of the word, C-O-M-F-O-R-T. 

Anyone can participate!  No invitations necessary! 

The seasons are changing, and we are beginning to hunker down & get cozy - what comes to mind when you see the word,  C-O-M-F-O-R-T?

Take a moment to share your words, pictures, drawings, or memories of this word.

This past weekend, my senses were heightened - taking a walk with a child or in my case, a dog (LOLA) will remind you what is precious.

SMELL ~ Lola's "sniffer" was working overtime ~ new territory to discover...

TOUCH ~ the dry brush scratched our legs as we veered off the trail to avoid the poison oak...

HEAR ~ Lola's ears perked up as the birds chirped a warning we were near...

TASTE ~ Lola's a "rock chewer" ~ she tasted several rocks, dropping them when discovering another treasure on the trail...

SIGHT ~ looking at the rustling leaves, my eyes spied a "HEART shaped leaf"...

ummmm... will be looking for C-O-M-F-O-R-T this week, how about you?

Don't forget to check in with Allie so she can mention your blog as a participant in WEEKWORD!

AND - if you share a "C-O-M-F-O-R-T" food, I'd love the recipe!

A RARE VISIT...

A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND = LOLA (6 months)

"If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then give your dog only two of them."

Another cute post of "LOLA ~ "Wiggle-Butt"

We MISS you Lola ~ COME BACK & visit us soon!

CURIOSITIES?? (WEEKWORD)

London "Curiosity" - pic taken 7/24/10

WEEKWORD = CURIOSITIES

gotta love English 

ad-vert-ise-ments!

(the BRITISH pronunciation)

CUTE CAR!!

Need to buy ASTRO-TURF??

Albert Einstein said,

"The important thing is not to stop questioning."

C-U-R-I-O-U-S

what do you think about

this 

ad-vert-ise-ment??

Other links posting an interpretation of the  

WEEKWORD...

"C-U-R-I-O-S-I-T-I-E-S"

can be found at 
The GIFT SHED 

I'm curious to find out what other bloggers deem 
"C-U-R-I-O-S-I-T-I-E-S"

WEEKWORD = CURIOSITIES

Montmarte Man ~ Paris, France ~ July 2005

"It is a mathematical fact that

the casting of this pebble from my hand 

alters the center of gravity of the universe."

~ Thomas Carlyle, Scottish satirical writer

COME ON...
I know you are curious about   
WEEKWORD!!

Find out more

by 

jumping over to 

The Gift Shed 

to learn how to play!

This week's word
is

C-U-R-I-O-S-I-T-I-E-S

Still curious? here are two  
of my favorite

WEEKWORD

posts!

click:

WeekWord = NOSTALGIC

or

WeekWord = BALANCE 

Deadline to post = Friday the 17th!

MISSING...

~ PRAYER TIES ~
created for Native American ceremonials

Blessing...
Smudging...
Tying...
our blessings, wishes & prayers
into vibrant, colorful pouches of tobacco

Sharing our blessings 
for the next part of the journey!

MISSING YOU, DAD!!

WEEKWORD = KEY

pic taken 9/9/10

 
SALLY 

at 
Sow & Sew  

picked the 

WEEKWORD!

What visual(s) come to mind 

when you hear the word

K-E-Y??

spare car "KEYS" 

even, for a car we don't own

ACE's Honda Fit!

whose "KEYS" are these?

Can you guess what sort of 
 "KEYS" 
are my favorites?

MAP K-E-Y-S!!

love the universal symbol "KEYS"

some K-E-Y-S are COLORFUL!!
map of London tube

some maps have 

NO "KEYS"  

map of Prague

to see what "KEYS" 

have been posted...

skip over to
  

Sow & Sew

for the blog links of this week's participants.

IT'S A FAMILY CONNECTION!!

ICE CREAM TRUCK ~ LONDON
"frosty, soft-serve ice cream"

missed blogging!

busy...

E-N-T-E-R-T-A-I-N-I-N-G!

TUESDAY

~ Mom came by Amtrak ~

her visit included:

a massage!

browsing at Farmer's Market

trip to Gopher Glen
(she bought 15 lbs of apples)

eating fish tacos @ Snapper Jack's

FRIDAY

we drove her back to

So California!

  for

MORE family time!

SLE flew in from Washington DC!

SATURDAY

watched little "D" play football
baked + ate + ate more 

SUNDAY 

brunched with "best buds" (Skids)
talked, talked & more talked...

picnic with cousins + kids =

LAUGHTER & CRAZINESS!

MONDAY
 drove home

laundry & pack lunches

for

WORK

today!

(TUESDAY) 

wheww!

WEEKWORD = KEY

FARMER'S MARKET - SLO

WEEKWORD = WRINKLE

Last week's word was

W-R-I-N-K-L-E

posted 4 days late!

but I loved the
"wrinkles" in this 
SQUASH BLOSSOM!

This week's word is

K-E-Y

find your way over to

Sally's

and let her know you want to

participate...

WEATHER, IT'S SUMMER OR FALL?

KEW GARDEN ~ London

"Autumn to winter, winter to spring,

Spring into summer, summer into fall -

So rolls the changing year, and so we change:

Motion so swift, we know not that we move."

~ Dinah Mulock Craik, English novelist & poet

KEW GARDEN ~ London

OXFORD ~ London

...the weather can't decide

whether its summer or fall...

WHATEVER IT IS...

...I'll enjoy it!