The Neverending Apples

I think I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. There are still apples left on the tree, but not so many. These are what had hurled themselves onto the ground, over the past week or so. I had been picking them up and storing them in the garage, hoping they wouldn't spoil before I got to them. Today was slow at work, so I came home and decided it was now or never. These apples needed attention.


Besides, I don't know how much longer my friend will let me have custody of her food mill. The first batch of apples were the oldest. And some of them didn't look so good. I salvaged as much as I was able, and used the first batch to make more apple butter. That is cooking away in the big crock pot. I'll be able to can another dozen half pints of apple butter, tomorrow. Then I started on the second half of the apples. Those were fresher and nicer. I used them to make 11 pints of delicious applesauce.


I only added a cup of sugar this time, as the apples are sweeter than at the beginning of the season. And I used a tablespoon of cinnamon. Errol got a little sample and declared it to be perfect. I have to agree, it is pretty darn tasty.


Another of my standard sized hens has started laying. I think it's the production red, Laverne. Here are the 3 eggs I gathered, today. The dirty white one is from Joanie, who can't seem to lay her eggs in the right spot. Sometimes they're in the nest and sometimes (like today) she lays them in the coop, on the dirty floor. Other times she'll leave them out in the run. She's a Leghorn and I'm starting to think they've had all the brains bred out of them. She's dumb as a rock. The middle egg is from one of my bantams. I think it's the black one that's laying. And she's the only bantam laying right now, since Pinky's molting. The brown egg, to the left is from Laverne. And she even put it in the nest, like a good girl.