Our favorite peach orchard opened earlier than usual this year! Hooray! We got to go picking the first weekend in August. It was a beautiful, tho somewhat warm day, that I loaded up the 2 eldest and headed off to the orchard. Little A stayed home with daddy to work on the shocks of the Yukon and do the grocery shopping. I was rather glad it worked out that way since this was the first peach season ever to be without extra hands along.
The peaches were gorgeous as always.
I couldn't stop picking like usual, even tho I knew we didn't need very many this year.
They were too pretty to leave behind. :)
My Helpers were slacking on me a little. They said it was too hot and yet they chose to nap on the back of the car in the sun?!?
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They happily bid me farewell as I marched off into the orchard armed with 5 boxes to fill.
They did help out for a while in spite of the heat. :)
We ended up with 150 lbs. The kids were troopers, in spite of the fact that we didn't come loaded down with snacks and water jugs to rinse the itchys off, along with every other thing you might need in a peach orchard, like Gramma Jo would have been sure to pack along. We survived with a meager fare of water and some peaches for our lunch. :)
However, all discomfort was forgotten when we got to the scales and they were allowed to go play while we weighed up and paid up. :)
All their favorites were there...
And they also tried out the rope swing that hangs in the shop.
They found it to be quite fun! :)
When we finally got back home Kate had to sample a few peaches immediately.
They were so good she cleaned them up to the last drop!
The Boy was too tuckered out from our escapades, and zonked out before we got home. He was deposited on the couch to finish his nap in the cool of the basement.
A few days later we started in on the canning. Again, my trusty helpers were there to put in quite a days work of slicing peaches.
Well, after they ate about 3 quarts of peaches. Then I put the ring leader to nap and the other 2 buckled down and got busy.
By the time they finished cutting nearly 2 batches of peaches all by themselves, they were plumb wore out, and I was able to finish my day of canning without interruption.
We have finished off most of our peaches now, but made a tasty peach pie to top off our Anniversary. Needless to say, the evening was just peachy! :D The kids had fun helping me with a candlelight steak n potato dinner, a dressed up table with favors at everyone's places, a special something for Daddy to share, and a lovely peach pie for dessert. We made them sing "Happy Anniversary" to us, with the motivating factor of being allowed to blow out the candles at the end of dinner. :D We got to go for a bike ride, and spend some time at the park, before calling it a day. :) Now I'm ready to head to bed feeling fat and happy. :D
We dubbed this "The Married Man's Dessert Cup", and filled it full of treats to share. :D
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Chillin' with Grandpa Blake
And lots of cousins and Aunts and Uncles....
Surprising A. Maureen for her 50th!!!
A. Cheryl preserving the cake from certain destruction in a very kind manner. :D
cousin Nathan trying to make friends with a very uncertain Miss Kate.
The influence of older cousins on my children. ;)
And of course we couldn't miss canning time!! Helping to can pears and beans. (the pear canning pics somehow got deleted.)
The not-so-responsible Nathan, a little too happy to have a knife in his hands. :D
and his responsible older sister taking care of Elliott.
Miss Kate even got to help a little as she loves to snap beans.
And the inside crew...working well together for over 50 years. :)
The second half the trip was spend at Boppa and Gramma Jo's as aforementioned.
