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Saturday, September 04, 2021

An Apple a Day - And Time to Play!


It's apple harvest season at Quiltville Inn!

Our property came with as of yet unused garden beds you can see in the background, and THREE very old - and this year very productive - apple trees of unknown variety.

The year previous a late spring frost killed all of the blossoms, but this year we have a bumper crop!

I have offered the apple bounty to my friend Martha who will can, freeze, dry, preserve anything if it stands till long enough.  LOL!

Martha and Don arrived yesterday morning to start harvesting the most ready of the trees!


Aren't they gorgeous?


Wooden apple crates filling up!


Is your mouth watering yet?

They continued to pick while I ran to a physical therapy appointment in Winston - and I received a text that they had left a good array with the retreat ladies to enjoy through the next few days.

There are 2 other trees of a different unknown variety that are just not quite ready yet.  We'll keep an eye on them.  Our overnight temps have dropped considerably which should hasten their readiness.

It should be said that these are completely organic.  Likely heirloom varieties - the trees are more than 30 years old. No pesticides have been used. While they may have some lumps and bumps and other markings, the fruit is delicious and I am so glad that Martha can use it.

It was also a crazy 24 hours of no internet for the area.  I was okay at home - we don't have internet at the cabin, relying on cell data only. So I had that. But there really is no cell coverage at the inn without the use of wifi calling and the Verizon booster that also runs off of - you guessed it - internet.

But there was no wifi for the inn or the QPO - it seems things were out for the entire region.  I passed by a few CenturyLink substations on my drive and they ALL had equipment trucks and workers at them so it was something regional.

When we had called yesterday morning to check on it, we were told that we were call 45 waiting in line.

Yeah - it was something big.

As to the retreat ladies - it didn't bother them one bit, though Kathy drove about a mile up the road to Oak Hill Academy (on the hill) where she had enough cell reception to make a call to her hubby to let him know the internet was out.

It came back on about 4pm - just as I was returning from my appointment with an additional side trip to son Jeff's to pick up a package.

The ladies knew all was back to normal when all of their phones starting pinging with messages coming in all at the same time.


The quilters have been busy!

Not sure what the jelly roll quilt on the left is called, but on the right is Lemoyne Trails.


Kathy is making this KING SIZED for her bed in time for Christmas!


There are some Wanderlust blocks from the Addicted to Scraps book up on yet another wall.  I can't wait to see this grow through the long holiday weekend ahead!

The Addicted to Scraps book is still on deep discount in the Quiltville Store and the purchase includes a free PDF pattern for my Wanderlust Table Runner


I spy some Tulip Time blocks coming together -


What the "L"???

These will be patchwork Christmas stockings - did you guess?

These gals are so creative and I love peeking in on what they are up to.

One thing that is for sure - ragweed season is upon us.

My eyes were sticky and squinty yesterday by the time I got home to the allergy eye drops. As long as I am up on them, I a fine.  But yesterday!  OY!

Autumn is definitely right around the corner.  It won't stop us from getting out for a nice long walk this morning.  

And definitely some sewing time for me today.

Let the 3 day weekend begin!

Do you have any quilty plans or anything you like to do for the long labor day weekend?

Entries are still coming in on our September/October 21 Quiltmaker Gift-Away.  Did you enter yet ON THAT POST?


Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Garden Party quilt from the Addicted to Scraps book.

I hope you are sharing your long Labor Day weekend with those that you love the most! 


Have a terrific weekend, everyone!


 

15 comments:

  1. Plan on binding my Bento Box quilt I made for friends.

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  2. Beautiful colors on those walls! Those apples look just like the ones my grandmother had on her land and she fried them up every morning with homemade biscuits. oh the memories

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  3. My stitches for Friday were hemming shirts for my SIL. A labor of love sharing my talents and equipment. Skills that have to be learned. It's great to have all the correct tools. It's our Fair Parade day. Might need to go watch. Hubby went to his favorite store for more bolts. Thats how I like to buy my fabrics, by the Bolt, lol

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  4. Believe the quilt to the left of Lemoyne Trails is “Basket Case” by Cluck Cluck Sew.

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  5. Wow the apples look amazing! It is an awesome thing that you are sharing. I like to make applesauce and, of course, apple crisp. Come on in fall!
    Susan

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  6. The apple looks like a Macintosh. It is a favorite of mine- crisp, juicy and just a little tart.

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  7. Those look like McIntosh apples---my very favorite---a bit tart, excellent apple to eat, make applesauce, apple butter, and apple pie/crisps. My aunt had one in her backyard and one year we picked up the deadfall---used the last of them this past winter.

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  8. I have a few apples left on my tree [Honey Crisp] that the kritters have not gotten yet. I put them in ziploc sandwich bags when they are marble size. Keeps the bugs away and they turn out so pretty. This is a light year, last year I got 3 doz. plus. Love all the quilty pictures, the lady's rock!

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  9. I will be busy from now until mid-October making quilt tops and backs for my scheduled appointment with my longarmer. Total of 6 quilts that I want to gift in December. love it when I have definite deadlines for my projects. Back to the machine - Have a great weekend

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  10. Oh how I miss my parents apples trees. I made applesauce and apple butter every year. Today was my day to drive to see my Mom in Columbia MO at the memory care facility. It is a 4 hour round trip not including my time spent visiting with her. I t just gets harder and harder to go and see her like this, Alzheimer's is such a cruel disease. I just got back home and decided to read your blog to cheer me up. I think I will sew for awhile on Jewel Box Stars; it has been a leader and ender for ever and I need to get it done this year. I have a lot of the blocks together in 8 inch square but need to get them into 16 squares and see how many more I need to do. I want to get it done for a Christmas gift for my niece this year. Sew to the machine I shall go! Enjoy your Holiday weekend.

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  11. Labor Day - my husband, my twin teenage daughters, and I all have birthdays in the first week of Sept, so Labor Day is almost always spent with family doing a combined birthday meal. Good eats!

    Those apples look amazing! How cool that Martha can put them to such good use.

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  12. My apple and pear trees were productive this year too, tomorrow will be a day to stew and bottle them up. Many have bugs but I cut out the bad spots and the rest of the fruit is just fine

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  13. oh, I wish I lived where apple trees loved to grow! A bushel of apples from Oak Glen is $55 - I used to pay 11. but, figs do well here! HAPPY LABOR DAY! I am dyeing fabric.

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    1. I live in Montclair, Ca. Years ago my kids went together and bought me an apple tree with 3 different varieties of apples on it. I have been getting a nice crop of apples every year from the tree. I like to core, peel and slice the apples. Then I put them in a big pot and cook them till they are good and hot. I let them cool and put them in 1 pint plastic food storage containers and freeze them. They are great for making pies or apple pie cake. The variety for Ca. is ready to pick in June, July.

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  14. Bonnie, I know you have an Instant Pot. You could make apple sauce and/or apple butter in it. I’ve done applesauce and it was delish. Your apple trees are a treat for the inn and for your friends. It is fun to share. Interesting. Makes me wonder if Martha cans apples for making future apple pies. That would be fun too. Always look forward to reading your blog. Thanks for sharing with us...

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