Cider Making 101

Thanks to good old Christopher Columbus

the boys enjoyed a day off from school yesterday

It was the perfect kind of Fall day

leaves changing colors

crisp, cool air 

good food

and great friends getting together to make cider

And here is how that happens:

Step 1:  Get plenty of apples

 Step 2:  Put them in water and "wash" them

 Step 3:  Juggle a few of them

 Step 4:  Get lots of helpers to throw them in the chopper

 Step 5:  Turn the crank -- if you can

 Step 6:  Fill the bucket

 Step 7:  Put them through the press to squeeeezzze out all the juice

 Step 8:  Catch that juice in a pan

Step 9:  Share a glass with a friend

(while pretending to be pirates... drinking rum!?)

And THAT is how you make cider on a perfect Fall day.

Recovering

I guess you could say I've been in a slump 

and I'm not sure why

Maybe it's because summer is over

or because my kids have gone back to school and I'm home alone

or maybe it has something to do with Cafe Rio (being far from where I am :)

or the mountains I miss looking at

or maybe it's because I am no longer surrounded by 

a big extended family that I can see 

any time I want to

or maybe... I just don't know

BUT... I'm making a serious effort to snap out of it

which means I need to get my act together and start taking some pictures

because FALL has arrived in New England

and I LOVE fall in New England!

Before we get to that though, I've got a few more pictures to post from summer

beginning with one of the last events of our visit...

The Russell Family Cook Out

which was held next to this lovely creek

where Logan spent most of his time swinging

and throwing sticks and rocks for Walt to chase,

which he diligently did over and over and over again

(look at Walt memorizing that rock so he could find it in ALL those other rocks - poor dog)

and Maddie and McKenna floated happily by

and Collin tried out his own method of swinging

and these fine young men strolled along... talking trash, I'm sure :)

(with cute little Dally)

and Reganne made yummy s'mores

and Becky couldn't make then fast enough to keep Kendal happy

(at least that's what it looks like she's doing :)

and Ben studied

and then savored his tasty treat

and Porter worked on recruiting me for a game of Tag

(hard to resist that cute face)

and Addie tried one. more. cookie.

and this group discussed... all things important... as the sun went down.

(I'm pretty sure that's what they were doing :)

 Yeah, it was a really good way to wrap up our summer

and I miss things like this.