Fall Time

Applesauce

Mashing apples into the strainer for applesauce

The garden is dying back as the temperatures drop...as they have (suddenly) this week. But the apples are ready. Once again, just like with the the peaches, we are beneficiaries of the generosity of cool back-door neighbors who own a prolific apple tree. This week I got to work making applesauce. I tried to accomplish this one day while the kids were in school, Tillman helping out when he got home from kindergarten. Unfortunately, it took me ALL DAY and into the night. (...and we only ended up with 12 quarts!) Now I remember why I always buy cases of applesauce when there's a case-lot sale at the grocery store: applesauce is a ton of work - well, at least it's long work. But homemade applesauce is about 10 times better than the stuff you buy at the store. So I try to produce enough to at least have some on hand when I feel like the good stuff.

Tillman sorting apples into the sink

Totally unrelated...

Here's a shot of Sully cuddling up with a dirty diaper. He has this hilarious habit of finding his dirty diapers before they make it outside to the trash and snuggling them (and sometimes stashing them in out-of-the-way places where we later discover them... by smell). It's hard to get a good picture of him in the act since he's always on the move.

Rattle Snake Gulch to Pipeline - 10/10/09
We managed to make it up to the mountains this weekend for a fall hike. It was a debate whether Albion Basin would be passable after all the snow of last week...and temperatures have not warmed much. But early Saturday morning we were still undecided. Then my brother Casey called out of the blue to see if we wanted to go hiking. He thought Solitude Lake - but the snowfall was an issue there as well. Finally he suggested Rattle Snake Gulch to Pipeline - a trail up Millcreek Canyon (Casey's years of rock climbing and Salt Lake County Search and Rescue pay off with unlimited ideas for hikes up his sleeve - many that we've never heard of). It was a beautiful 3 mile round trip, complete with an actual rattle snake sighting.

Jess, Helen, Hal, & Grace



Kids, Mike and Casey - Casey has a sweet barrel/pack for his rock-climbing gear which is also suitable for packing children - Soph's main ride.




Not such a great shot cross-canyon because of the morning haze. The colors were amazing in real life.



Are you kidding me!? Two rattle snakes coiled up in their den at the side of the trail. (Noble was SO stoked.)



Beautiful lichens



These kids love to hike (Grace, T and a friend)



I love Utah mountains - specifically Fall in the mountains.