Guess what we got yesterday? Nope, nothing so exciting as a puppy (and given my taste for the large hairy working dogs such as Scotch Collies, a good thing, I suppose . . .)
No, this is what arrived:
2 boxes MacIntosh apples, 2 boxes Gala apples (I’d requested Jonagold, my current favourite, but the apple man had run out) and 2 boxes of D’Anjou pears. 1 box of each for my sister and her family and Mum and I will share the others with a couple of friends.
A lovely man, Orville, brings fruit from BC and then delivers it. We met him several years ago when we were still in Mum’s house. When I was still working, if anyone else wanted some we had the lot delivered to the office. It was fantastic, sitting at a computer with the scent of peaches wafting up and out to the hallway, luring people in . . .
One thing led to another, though . . .
After the bi-weekly vampire had been, ‘fed’ and left:
3 Galas found their way to the chopping sheet.
Oatmeal, wheat germ and Sultanas begged to join in, but . . .
The pot was too full . . .
So the oatmeal and friends had to simmer alone. They were cheerful about it, though, and didn’t scorch to pay me back for their isolation.
United at last! With the reward of a wee bit of brown sugar.
Mmmm, indeed!
I have a surprise nearly ready to share, too, but it may not be posted for a day or two . . . no hints 😉
A Random Harvest 
Ooh BC Macs!!! Hubby would go utterly GAGA for them. He’s from Saskatchewan and still raves about the BC Macs. And we grow about 20 heritage varieties of apples here!!! Hmmmmph! I don’t think we can get that variety over here, but if we could, he would INSIST on a couple of trees, and would sit under them when the apples were ripe with his trusty .22 to pop off any pesky critters who would have designs on HIS apples…
Men Eh?
Maybe he’s related to my Mum; she was born in Nadeauville and grew up near Tompkins. 😉 The Macs are mostly for her. I love Jonagolds best, but the apple man was out by the time he got to our place. I haven’t told Mum, but I have an order in for a box of those if he does another trip . . .
I envy you your heritage varieties, though. I still dream of apples from the old orchard on my in-laws’ place in Victoria years ago. I can’t remember now if they were Snow Apples or Kings, but I’d know them if I saw them again; they were smallish, with firm skin and pinky stripes that went right through into the flesh. Sweet and the best keepers I ever saw. You could pick them ripe and it took months for them to even shrivel a tiny bit . . . My lovely mother in law was always delighted to share some.
Men, indeed! But I’d do the same for some varieties . . . first, I’d have to find me a rifle . . . 😉
Nothing nicer than the smell of apples!
Except maybe the smell of apples cooking, or baking, or . . . 😉
I know what you mean, though. Yum!
Does Orville deliver to Washington?? 🙂 Arly the Beagle is on his way to being a certified farm dog, I swear, Linne. He walks most of our road with us now!
I don’t think so . . . I suppose you can’t drive up for fruit without border stuff going on. And don’t bring your guns . . . 😉
Besides, I know you have apples; much of what we get in the store comes from Washington State . . .
But BC is best, of course 😉
You still speaking to me??
Good going to Arly, eh? I always liked long walks for puppies; builds endurance and wears ’em out, all in one. What fun you are going to have!
You ate a snail…you are really superman…you traded your fridge for an igloo…you can speak portuguese…you have eyes 2 different colours (like Mr Bowie)…you can walk on your hands…you recently discovered the ability to turn base metals into gold……..
Love snails (escargot, please! so long as I have garlicky butter in wgich to dip ’em. Yum!) nope, don’t wanna be super-anyone. Maybe Green Lantern’s girlfriend . . . nah, that was a while back . . .
I can sit outside in the igloo that is north central Alberta, but that’s not it.
Mi Espanol es muy picquito; mi Portuguese mas picquito. 😉
Nope, plain mossy green eyes that can look bluish in some lights. Also depends on what I wear . . .
I could walk on my hands at one time, but if I tried that now would disgrace myself utterly by falling down in a big fat heap. Old hippies must be dignified, right?
Yes, it’s called paint . . . 😉
Will post a picture soon. And won’t make you guess (although I love your wild guesses!).
😉
Breakfast is looking good at your house 🙂
It is, indeed, Wendy! I plan on pancakes with applesauce or just cooked apples and a wee bit maple syrup soon. 😉 😉 😉
Ooooh, pancakes! It just gets better.
Yep! That was breakfast today 😉
Now to heat up some of the crockpot soup . . .
Galas are great at this time of year and Granny smith pies are unbeatable … yum yum at your house.
I like Granny Smiths for pie, too, but a whole box would be too much for us. I want to try the Galas in a pie or my version of a crumble/crisp; they keep their shape quite well. Yum is right!!
Nice horse! What breed is it, Jolynn? My parents thought I’d grow out of being horse crazy, but I think it’s unlikely now. I still crave a paur of old-style Morgans . . .
Enjoy your apples!
We are, thanks! They will be on the menu daily while they last. 😉
I love apples! (and surprises) and dogs. Little dogs are awesome too.
In every dog,big or small, heart beats the wolf!
🙂
Surprise is not ready yet; soon, I hope.
I’m definitely a large dog person (Borders are a wee bit small, though I do love them) for myself, but I love other people’s small dogs. My crafty friends were raising tea cup Pomeranians when I met them. Not any more, but they still have two females. Often found on my lap. lol
Mostly it’s that I’m tall. I used to say that if I had to bend down to pet it, it wasn’t a dog. 😉 When we lived more remotely and didn’t drive, a dog had to be able to keep up with the horses. Little ones just can’t, and it’s awkward to carry them, never mind get them safely up and back down. I know because one of the women along on our horse trip (a bit about that on the ‘Thought and Memory’ blog) had a dachshund, a sweet little thing, but still . . . She also had a six month old daughter, so logistics were sometimes complicated . . .
A lovely story. I think this a wonderful gift giving idea. Hugs, Barbara
Thanks, Barbara, and hugs back. 😉
These were only $1 per pound, so $40 per box. A good deal. But a lot of fruit. Some years some has gone bad before I got to it. No space here to do preserving (or to store the jars) and no freezer. So it’s fresh or cooked. I am thinking of cooking some, putting in ziplock bags when cool, out on the balcony to freeze, then storing in a box with lots of newspaper for insulation (also on the balcony). Might work . . .
My friends do a lot for us, so it’s nice to do a little back. What makes the world go round . . .
Yes indeed. Once it gets to freezing and stays there, your idea will work brilliantly. Hugs, Barbara
Well, there have to be SOME redeeming qualities to everything, right? 😉 Northern (well, fairly north, anyhow) winters = large freezer . . .
They sure do!
😉 I think we have arrived at cool freezer state, but the outer door is frozen shut. I can’t get at my oranges out there (what WAS I thinking?). May have to cook them up with some of the apples when I do get to them . . .