Apple pickin'

One of the things I love most about being back in the good old US of A -- and, more specifically, being back in the Midwest -- is the amount of cheap, easily accessible produce.  This past weekend we went picking at Clearview Orchards, a 15-minute drive away.

We picked a peck of McIntosh apples for eating. (No, they weren't pickled.)  And for just $6 more, we added a bushel of Empire "drops" to put away for the winter.  Now our freezer is full of sliced apples in a coating of lemon juice, cinnamon, and sugar, ready for winter pies and my new favorite recipe -- baked apple French toast.

Finley gummed up an apple pretty good and LOVED it.

Helping dad

What the heck is this thing?

Austin was assigned to pick from the top of the
tree. Hey, sometimes it DOES come in handy to
be 6'3 with a wingspan of, oh, approximately 11 feet!

It's eatin' time

Delicious!

MORE!

Intense apple juice focus

After apple picking, Austin and Finley played catch.  Or, rather, Austin played a game of Catch Finley.

Wheeeeeeeee!