Apple Sauce & Old Crow

Here's all the wonders happening here in Floyd:

All three of our transplanted tomato plants are alive and thriving! Many a'mouth told us they were too big to try and move but I'm glad we don't take advice cause now we've got maters.

We have frozen more apples than we'll ever use so I've switched to canning apple sauce. I'd never canned before in my life so it was an adventure. The first batch I worked up by myself one day while Drew was at work and I ended up with 3 whole jars, one of which didn't seal so we'll have to eat it soon.

I really wanted to avoid adding sugar but I knew some of our apples were sour so I used maple syrup instead (and cinnamon and lemon juice, believe it or not the only grocery store in Floyd was OUT of lemons, small town charms am I right?).  The second round Drew and I double-teamed and cooked overnight. I do not recommend this because waking up at 4:30 to can apple sauce is less than ideal (especially later in the day when you're driving to Pittsburgh attempting to listen to Game of Thrones on audiobook and you're both dozing off).

This round we ended up with 7 jars all of which sealed. Hooray!!!

I am already making plans to can some apple butter and salsa and depending on our cucumber crop, pickling some cukes. I have lofty goals but need to remind myself I start school next week. Cue Meghan muttering Martin Luther quotes incoherently in front of 16 year olds.

Since we have both blackberries and apples on the grounds here I wanted to find a recipe to incorporate both. Found here. 

The recipe made 12 which you won't need to worry about if you drop the pan in the oven trying to get them out and half of them catch fire while you curse and yell dramatically for "HELP!" I'm pretty sure Drew thought I was on fire. Another alternative is freezing the extras. They are seriously the best muffins I've ever eaten. The only thing I did differently was replace the suggested yogurt with blueberry Activia to keep me regular.

In other news...

We took a whirlwind trip to Pittsburgh on Friday which was totally worth it to see our friends, Sarah and Ben. They bought a beautiful house and it was great to get to visit them and see their town before things get too crazy with school. Also, it's probably the last time we will see them before baby Arlo arrives!!

We left them on Saturday to head back down to Charleston, WV to see our favorite band, Old Crow Medicine Show. We saw them last year with Mumford but wanted to see them headline. And West Virginia was the perfect place to experience it. It's hard to even describe how much fun they are live.

Also, Charleston was lovely.The concert was outside which is always preferable and you just can't beat the goodness that happens when different types of people come together for music as good as OCMS.


We finished off an amazing weekend with what I like to call "The reason I haven't been lesson planning is I've been deciding who I'm going to draft for fantasy football." Priorities people. Eddie Lacy trumps Henry VIII in my world right now. It's just the way it is. And I'm gonna kick ass this year.

Soak in these last few days of summer, teacher friends. I felt a fall crisp in the air today and football is coming. I, for one, can't wait.

Weekend Roundup

We had a pretty perfect weekend. The weather was beautiful and we made the most of it, I think.

Friday we hit Grandin Village for the used book store: Too Many Books, pizza at Grace's and then coffee at CUPS. I love that part of the city, even though Drew says it's too fancy for us to live there. 

Saturday we woke up early and met friends for a quick sip of coffee and then our little family headed to the AT. Drew had found a beautiful spot only about a mile and a half off the road. 

Also Saturday Drew felt the need to put his new to him tent on the roof, despite the wind. It was entertaining to say the least. 

Today we did tons of spring cleaning and then drove to Radford for lunch prepared by our dear friends and enjoyed catching up with them. 

This is Ike enjoying the ride to Goodwill this evening.

Hope your weekend was spectacular! 

The last weekend

It's something like the last supper but not as important. I mean you don't need to break bread in remembrance, although that's precisely what we did this morning for brunch.

Next weekend we will be traveling home to haul about half of our material possessions to my parents and the next weekend is moving weekend!!! Therefore this was our last weekend hoo-ra in the Burg.

Unfortunately, it didn't dawn on us Friday night that it would be our last weekend so we stayed home and did this:

Saturday morning we made our usual family trip to the Farmer's Market. And Ike made it a memorable one by shitting everywhere and after Drew cleaned him up with leaves, he could not select any fruits or veggies because his hands were "contaminated." It's probably best we're moving, we couldn't show our faces at that particular farmer's market ever again after yesterday.

We should have known by him making this face for our picture that it would be a memorable trip.

After we recovered from our shame we went for a hike to the Cascades.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We hiked to the Cascades when I first moved up here and Mama's put on a few pounds since then, nothing like sucking bad air for 4 miles to realize just how far you've fallen.

 

 



Last night we stayed in and ordered our favorite pizza and watched the Hokies.

This morning we had brunch at our very favorite place. And it did not disappoint.

 

 

The rest of my day will consist of packing and attempting to get some work done but it's been a perfect farewell weekend. I love you, Blacksburg.

P.S. These farewell posts will likely go on for 2 more weeks.

Weekend Update

So on Thursday we had this:

 



 

But then Saturday morning we had breakfast on that very same patio and watched bluebirds fight over our bluebird house for 2 hours. I haven't watched anything that entertaining in ages. Here are some snapshots:

 

 

 

I swear to you it was like watching house hunters. They would come look and fly away. Then come and sit, then more would come and look and then they would fight over it. So out of necessity, my husband created this masterpiece:

 

 

 

 

Built with his own 2 hands. While he did that, I spray painted every chair I could get my hands on:

 

 

We took a brief rest to go to the international street fair, where we had some yummy not-health department approved international cuisine.

 

 

Then we came home and planted some seeds:

The sun was bright, which is why I have no eye balls.

 

 

Today we went to early church, took a nap outside on the pallet bed and then had dinner on the patio at the Cellar.

 

 

I assure you Ike had water although it may not appear so here and I also assure you that I had nothing to do with the fact that my husband is wearing camo crocs in public.....with socks.

 

This is Drew saying, "I'm so sexy I can wear crocs and it doesn't even matter."

 

 

Tonight we had a bonfire and s'mores with lots of friends: old and new. Some had to Skype in but that was just as great.

 

 

So basically we've only been inside to sleep this weekend. But oh thank you Jesus for this sunshine. It has been heavenly.