Our Apple Cider Party

Grandson Ian wanted to make cider on our farm this fall and had one weekend when he and his partner could come down from their Seattle area abode... so that's when we made cider. One set of friends had their own apples in need of pressing after their press broke down. Others just wanted to join the fun... and take home cider. Friend Barb kindly had a birthday that Saturday so it became a birthday celebration as well as a cider pressing party. In addition to all that, it was soon after the election that had our like-minded friends depressed and frightened for the future of our country... and our own futures. Together we put all the fears and worries aside and just had a rollicking good time.. while making a whole lot of apple cider.

Although it was a cold and wet November day, Johnny had moved vehicles out of the shop/garage and set up the operation under cover. Everyone was dressed for the weather and seemed to stay warm enough. ...But we moved indoors for the meal.

Most fun for me was hearing the stories that these friends told of their adventures on our farm when they were young. There were actually 3 "generations" of  "kids" represented, ranging from close to the age of our sons (who are in their 50s now)... to 30? somethings... and then to grandson Ian and partner in their early 20s. Barb, the birthday person and mother of one of the cider-making crew, is of our generation.

 Everyone took home fresh pressed cider... but there was lots left... and lots of apples still on the farm. So Johnny gathered more apples during the week and pressed again the following Saturday. Then, in his well-equipped shop, he pasteurized the cider.  

It's a lot of work for Johnny but he (apparently) enjoys it. I try to stay out of the way and mostly just take photos.

 

The little bottles are ones he gives away to all the delivery people who come, postal workers, and everyone else he meets throughout the year. It's a handy way to express thanks and share the bounty of our farm. 

                                  Happy Thanksgiving from the Fink Family Farm! 

My Birthday Week

 My birthday is on Halloween. That was a big deal when I was a kid. Not anymore. We don't live where trick or treaters visit. And our kids and grandkids live in different states. So Halloween is what we make it. But for the last two years, our oldest grandson (Kevin and Jessica's son) has driven down from Washington and cooked us a full Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings... on a weekend before or after my birthday (he's employed full-time during the week. Last year he was still in college on my birthday). Ian is an excellent cook. He learned from his mom. His partner, Kellin, does meal prep and is learning to cook like Ian. So we celebrate when Ian and Kellin arrive, loaded with fixings for food, plus gifts, beautifully wrapped, from parents Kevin and Jessica; and delicious desserts from Jessica. 

Although I am notorious for taking photos of everything and everyone, I apparently took only one while the kids were here... just Ian by the stump with a scat on top that I set a trail camera near to try to find who had left the scat. There are two stumps high above Agency Creek, where we sit and look at the creek... or that's the idea whenever the weather cooperates. Here's Ian with a stump... and just a sliver of his partner Kellin behind... 

 

And here's the stump with scat...

Later, I retrieved the trail camera card and saw the scat deliverer... an opossum. Opossums, I read, love to deposit their sign on stumps to claim their territory. The camera was upside down when I retrieved it... apparently the opossum rearranged the furniture.

 

Here is the photo upside down with the opossum right side up:

 

The kids left on Sunday so Johnny and I had my birthday, Halloween Thursday, to do something "fun". Since it was my birthday, I got to choose. I chose driving up Agency Creek to look for Dippers. I love Dippers. 

We didn't find any Dippers, but we did find lovely fall colors and rushing water.

 We came home and heated up some of the turkey and dressing Johnny had frozen from Ian's weekend feast, opened more cranberry sauce, and enjoyed my second birthday dinner... with more desserts from Jessica... on my birthday. Then we watched the Beatles movie, A Hard Day's Night. Our California family called that evening and sang Happy Birthday to me. It was a good day.

But for some reason, I grew sad the next day that no one on facebook had wished me a happy birthday, as people always do when facebook tells them it's someone's bday. Son Kevin poked around on my page and discovered that I had, years ago, set my birth date to private. So he changed it for me and suddenly I had dozens of Happy Birthday messages. (Have I mentioned before that technology is not my strong point?)

So, now... I have embarked on my 79th year around the sun, well-feted and well fed. Happy Halloween birthday, indeed!