Family Fall Traditions 2024: Autumn Fun From Labor Day Into November

I have very much taken to heart the season of harvest time - fall and autumn.  But that's nothing new,  for I've been writing  postings about this season beginning back on September 25,  2009  ('tis Autumn).  I remember as a kid loving this time of year.   It was back in the late 1960s and early 1970s,  as soon as Labor Day ended,  out would come the candles my mom had stored away,  and my father would have a fire going in the fire place.  And soon the leaves would change and fall off the trees,  aided by a nip in the air.  Evening would come and the lights in our house would be clicked off - I can still hear my mother's sigh when anyone would turn on any of the  "big"  lights - the electric lights - for it ruined her atmosphere.

So that's where I get it from!

🍂🎃🍂🥧🍂

.....................................

I have been experiencing and celebrating this season for most of my life.

The idea that we in my family continue to celebrate the autumn time of year in a traditional manner and we do it...um...traditionally,  makes me as happy as any one person could be.  Even my kids  (adults lol),  who love summer,   admit to loving this time of year,  mostly for our family activities.

And,  as you hopefully may realize,  Autumn actually begins in August.  In fact,  the words  "autumn"  and  "harvest"  intertwine,  and with Lammas Day  (August 1st)  considered the first day of harvest,  well,  it only makes sense to celebrate beginning in that month.

At least they did in days of old.

We still do in my home - and historically with my living history friends!

If you read THIS post and then THIS post,  you can see us celebrate.

Anyhow,  in our modern times,  Labor Day Weekend holiday is considered to be the unofficial end of summer.   So we'll begin with that first of the  "brrr"  months:   beginning with the Friday of this American Labor Day holiday:

Our Labor Day Weekend began with Frankenmuth Friday.
Patty had that day off work so the two of us drove north to  "Michigan's Little Bavaria"  and enjoyed going antiquing,  visiting Bronners Christmas Shop,  and then dining at Zehnders Family Restaurant.

My wife,  Patty,  and I are usually fairly on the go during our weekends together.  

And this particular weekend was no different:

In the morning we left for Frankenmuth  (about 90 minutes north of where we live)  to go to our favorite antique mall - "Around the Farm"---this place is true to its name and never fails us.  We always find items needed or wanted,  whether for home use or in our reenacting world.

In 2022 we purchased from this antique mall a  "harvest table" -
something that was perfect for our ever-growing family. 
However,  upon this year's visit,  the same table-maker had a long bench
that we felt would be perfect to fit the five little behinds of our grandkids. 
We were there in our car that weekend and could see it would not fit,  so we
returned the following weekend with the van. 
I suppose,  in a way,  it's a continuation of  Daggett-izing our home!

And then we went out to eat at the infamous Zehnder's of Frankenmuth before returning home.  Afterwards Patty went to a bonfire with her friend,  and I went to
Old Car Festival with my friend  (her friend's husband)  and my son Miles.
Yes,  I was stumping for Washington & Adams for President & Vice-President.

I also hooked up with friends and was able to obtain 40 pounds of pure beeswax while there.

Though we've been going to Frankenmuth every year since 1983,  usually in October,  we have now sort of attached it to Labor Day Weekend,  which works out great for us.

As for Labor Day Saturday,  Patty & I got all dressed in our colonial work/farm clothing and visited the Waterloo Cabin to work in the garden,  which was giving up its yield like crazy.  In fact,  I wrote a blog posting about it,  as well as an earlier visit  (HERE),  but I am including a couple of pictures below that were not a part of that previous blog post:

Patty & I at the Waterloo Cabin on Labor Day Saturday.

This year we've had the best garden yet.

From there we jump into Labor Day Sunday where we had our 51st annual Corn Roast.

This is a long-held family tradition that my father began back in,  1973.  I think he figured it was a good way for family & friends to gather at the end of the summer season.  And what better way than to celebrate with a harvest activity! 

Here we are in my backyard gathering corn and then putting them into shocks.
Okay...so,  no,  that's not us and it's not in my back yard.  Nor is this at the cabin---but it almost could be - - - -but rather,  this photo was taken by me last fall  (2023)  at Firestone Farm at Greenfield Village.   

The corn is all ripe and the reapings begin.

The fruits of the earth,  o we gather them in;

At morning so early the reaphooks we grind,

And away to the fields for to reap and to bind..

And so our family has been carrying on the Corn Roast tradition ever since;  it was passed onto my brother after my father passed away,  and now my brother's kids have taken it over since my brother passed away a decade ago.  But we all join in,  my other siblings and I,  and still enjoy this last blast of summer over Labor Day Weekend,  even though the weather might already have a nip in the air,  as it did this year.

Soaking dozens of ear of corn.

The corn's a-roasting...

And that evening,  we stopped off at my son's place,  for he had his annual Labor Day Weekend bonfire.

The weather was on the cooler side, 
so it was a perfect evening for a bonfire.

For Labor Day Monday itself - this year falling on September 2 - I took my annual trek to Greenfield Village.  But I made sure my own home was properly decorated for this American Holiday before I left:

The red,  white,  and blue!
I've had this up since Memorial Day.  I love showing my patriotism~

Yes,  I realize numerous other countries celebrate their own Labor Day,  including neighboring Canada,  but sometimes other country's Labor Day may take place in other times of the year,  while America's (and Canada's)  occurs on the first Monday in September.

And my Labor Day happened to be spent in a place of history:

Being the United States is in an election year,  I decided to let everyone know
my choice for President and Vice-President:
The Washington / Adams ticket for  '24!
I have never received so many awesome and agreeable comments from quite a
diverse group of people as I strolled about Greenfield Village.   I mean,  some
folks had pride flags on their shirts,  some had the American flag on their shirts, 
yet both agreed with my choice and I received plenty of thumbs up and kind comments.
So cool!

The weather was absolutely perfect,  with highs hitting the low 70s and a clear & sunny sky:

Even though it was only the 2nd of September,  fall was in the air,  and the trees were beginning their change.

One thing I have come to realize is that Autumn is not strictly the leaves changing colors,  but it is an actual season.  and my wife & I,  and often times our kids,  do a whole lot of fall and fall-oriented activities.

Horse and carriage ride.
Heading toward the Eagle Tavern.

I cannot go to Greenfield Village without visiting my favorite house:
The Daggett Farm House.

If this was 175 years ago,  Edward Loranger would be in this building,  working day and night,  for it is the gristmill.

Here we go!

THIS has become autumn to me more than anything else!

In the cold room in the cellar of Firestone Farm,  we see their yield from their kitchen garden and fields.

Leaves changing is a big part,  but it's the harvest that makes this season so wonderful!
The smells,  the sights...

The old-time farmers practiced what some call companion planting.  Squash,  maize  (corn),  and climbing beans were known as the Three Sisters  (of agriculture).  Mounds of soil with flattened tops were built for each group of crops.  In the center of each mound several maize seeds were planted.  When the maize reached about 6"  tall,  beans and squash were planted alternately around each stalk.  The beans used the maize as a structure to climb up and also provided the nitrogen needed by the other two plants.  The squash was a groundcover that reduced weeds and retained moisture.  Companion planting is still popular today.  

Labor Day is often called the  "unofficial end of summer"  because it marks the end of the summer season in U.S. culture.   Some feel it's the last chance to enjoy summer activities like barbecues,  pool parties,  and lake days.

However,  the Firestone farmers were out in the field in force on this day  (as will be seen in a future blog post)  to harvest and make corn shocks.  A shock is when they will a stack or bundle of corn and bind them,  piled upright for curing or drying,  and here the harvested field corn will soon be stood up into neat shocks.  And we’ll see them standing tall as the Headless Horseman and Ichabod Crane ride their horses through them for Hallowe’en.

Firestone Farm pre-dates the era of the silo,  when corn stalks were chopped up and made into a slightly fermented feed known as silage.  So instead,  the Firestone corn stalks will be chopped and fed as fodder.  Fodder is a specific type of feed that refers to plant-based materials,  such as hay,  silage,  straw,  and sprouted grains,  that are given to livestock for grazing or feeding.   Gathering the stalks into shocks has an important purpose.  The inside of the stalks,  sheltered from the elements,  retain their nutritional value for quite some time and the actual shock makes a handy manageable portion for the farmer to haul from the field for his cattle.  The corn was either picked before shocking,  or at the time the shock was pulled from the field.  Corn then had to be husked,  and then thrown into the corn crib for further drying.  Firestone barn has an enormous corn crib running the entire side of the barn shed.  Once dry it could be shelled,  then either fed as shelled corn,  or ground into feed or meal.  The variety grown at Firestone Farm is called  “Reid’s Yellow Dent”  and was primarily grown as a feed corn.  Hard  “flint”  corns were best for meal,  and the softer  “gourd seed”  type of corn was also used for animal feed,  or for making hominy and grits.  Corn harvest related work usually will take place throughout the later part of September.

September 13 - I had a big sort of harvest-y weekend planned,  so I thought to get it all going I would begin on Friday and decorate my front porch on a sort of country/rural way.  Whereas many folks put up Hallowe'en decorations,  I put up autumn decor,'  including corn stalks,  hay bales,  gourds/squash,  and then pumpkins. 

A little country in the city - - - - 
My front porch - all decorated for fall~

I look forward to this as much as my
4th of July and Christmas decorations.

My porch will remain like this through Thanksgiving.

Then,  on the following day,  September 14,  Patty & I went to Waterloo to harvest our kitchen garden.

Click HERE to read more on that.

And the very next day following - September 15 - we had another harvest day---only it was Patty & I with our family,  and we harvested apples by going apple picking! 

The whole family went out to the apple orchard – kids & grandkids - and picked our favorite variety – MacIntosh - and also picked raspberries,  enjoyed cider & doughnuts,  and had a great family day!

Michigan,  New York,  and Washington,  by the way,  are the top three states for cider mills.

One of our Michigan pleasures is visiting cider mills in the fall, along with apple picking,  which makes every weekend from September through early November a holiday;  yeah,  we know how to celebrate autumn here. 

Our orchard of choice:  Stony Creek Orchard in Romeo.

We enjoy going to a cider mill that doesn't have the thrills,  frills,  and chills that virtually most others have.  You know the kind I mean:  over-commercialized with skeletons sitting on toilets telling bad jokes,  a mechanical hillbilly bear band,  $10 per kid play area,  $3 hot dogs...yeah,  you know what I'm talking about.  That's not the type I enjoy going to.  We've been to that kind in previous years and don't plan on going back.  They are way too crowded,  way over-priced,  and wa-a-ay over-commercialized for our taste.

But I am glad they are there for those who like  'em.

We would rather go to pick apples,  drink cider,  and eat doughnuts.

And not return home broke.

It took some searching but we found one right smack dab in the middle of   "cider mill country" - Romeo,  Michigan.  Within just a few miles of Romeo Village are at least five cider mills,  and all but one are of the suburbanite's dream,  varying from extreme commercialization  (did I mention the haunted barn?)  down  (or up)  to the good old-fashioned mill.

We chose Stony Creek Orchard - the most basic of them all.

Hail!  Hail!  The gang's all here!
My wife,  my kids,  and grandkids - all of us together!

In speaking with one of the owners,  she told me that there are some customers who have complained because there was nothing to do except,  well,  pick apples,  drink fresh cider made right there,  and eat fresh doughnuts.

On the other hand,  there were many more who,  like me,  have thanked them for having nothing else but apple  (and raspberry)  picking,  cider drinking,  and doughnut eating.

Okay,  they have a small haystack climbing area for the kids.   And it doesn't cost anything for them to do so.

Our apple of choice:
McIntosh.

Me taking an artsy picture of the morning sun
peeping through the trees.

I remember going apple picking with my mom & dad back in the 1970s.  In those days,  cider mills were not a thing like they've become today.  It began with people like my parents and all of us heading out to the country orchard to pick apples.  But it wasn't something we planned every year.  We did it more sporadically.  Then from there it grew.  And more and more orchards got involved.  The 1970s turned into the 1980s - I met my girlfriend in the early 1980s and we were married in 1985,  and had our first child in 1988.  Yep,  through it all we carried on the tradition that began with my parents.  As we had our 2nd,  and 3rd, child,  we continued,  hauling all of us in the family van out to the orchards. Still sporadically.  We took about a ten year hiatus for the first decade of the new century,  but began again in 2010.

And now we do it not only with our children  (four offspring!),  but with our grandchildren---the great grandchildren of my parents who started this tradition!

My eight year old granddaughter.

My daughter has always loved to climb trees!
And at age 23,  she still does!

My eldest walking with his number 4 child~

Here I am with my fruit picker,  which worked very well indeed.
We've had some pretty nasty storms with high winds,  which knocked
many of the apples from the trees onto the ground,  so this
fruit picker really came in handy.

My three sons carried the bushels to the tractor cart.

Here are our two bushels filled with McIntosh apples!
Soon to be pies and sauce!

Mmmm....fresh pressed cider & doughnuts...

Who needs singing bears and joke-telling skeletons when you have hay bales?

And our annual grandparents/grandchild picture!

It was in October of 2004 when I brought a friend of mine,  visiting from England - Sandra - to her first-ever cider mill experience.  Just like in most of the United States,  they didn't/don't do the cider mill thing across the pond.  She enjoyed the whole fall-flavors thing,  with cider and doughnuts and a nice fall nature walk.  

As I wrote in the journal I kept at the time:
"Since Sandra has never been to one  (they do not do the cider mill thing in England),  we had her experience this Michigan ritual.  She enjoyed it very much,  especially sitting down by the stream.

Sandra has made a number of comments on how she’s seen more pumpkins since coming to America than she has in her whole life.  They just don’t celebrate Autumn and Halloween in England like we do here."

So cool!

So,  at home I took a picture of our harvest:
apples,  raspberries,  zucchini,  peppers,  pumpkins,  tomatoes,  squash,  and cucumbers.  Also there's my table-top cider press I purchased earlier this year,  and the pure beeswax  (soon to be candles)  I got from a friend.

This was probably the most  "farm"  and country weekend Patty and I've had yet!

One more thing I'd like to talk about is our own gardens and gardening.  Though we are not farming,  this is,  perhaps,  as close as I'll truly get.  You see,  for the past decade or so,  my wife has had a wonderful garden in our backyard where she grows mainly tomatoes and cucumbers.  She's tried to grow other veggies but the success rate hasn't been that great.  However,  we also have the large garden patch at Waterloo where we've grown pumpkins,  green beans,  as well as cared for what another person has planted,  which included zucchini and squash.  Yeah,  another may have planted them but we've been  "doing the garden,  digging the weeds"  all summer long,  so,  yes,  I consider them ours.

Who could ask for more?

So here is another photo from this year's garden treasures:

Here is a mix of the cabin garden's yield and our own yard's yield

Patty & I love going out to Historic Romeo,  about a 45 minute drive from where we live,  so a couple weeks later - the first Friday in October - we ventured out once again for more apples.  Romeo is a quaint Victorian village - truly a Victorian village,  for there are over a hundred bonafide well-maintained Victorian homes.  Now,  if you add houses from the early part of the 20th century,  then I believe the percentage of 100+ year old structures rises pretty dramatically.  In fact,  the Village of Romeo as a whole has its own historical marker where it says,  in part:  "The many examples of nineteenth-century architecture that remain in the village led Michigan and the federal government to list Romeo as a historic district in 1970."

A fruit and vegetable market on the side of the road.  We bought each of our grandkids a small pumpkin.

So what did we do with all those apples we bought?

With more apples,  Patty promptly made and canned homemade apple sauce.

Yes,  it is so good!

Let's jump up another week as we head closer into mid-October.

We were babysitting our grandkids and,  as usually,  their Nonna had some cool activities for them to do,  suitable for the season:

Our grandchildren spent an October evening painting their pumpkins any which way they wanted.  Boy---did they have a ball!

And we ended the night by watching Hallowe'en DVDs,  including  "It's The Great Pumpkin,  Charlie Brown!"

Deeper into October,  I added to my porch autumn décor.

Yes,  it's Hallowe'en season,  and I do love it,  but I mostly stay away from the scary stuff and stick with harvest.

I had the mailman and one other delivery person comment on how
they enjoyed what I've done here.
The mailman said he loved the fall country feeling.
When I awakened bright and early one morning,  I very much liked the morning
sun shining upon my vignette so I snapped another picture::

October 21 - notice our birch in the background changed from green to
a bright yellow~

I think I look forward to doing my porch autumn decorations as much as 

anything.  And when the wind rustles through the cornstalk,  it sounds so cool.  

It brings the country sights and sounds to us!

It was in late October that tickets for Holiday Nights at Greenfield Village went on sale.  Of course,  I traveled to the ticket booth to purchase a few,  and while waiting in line I took a nice snapshot of the front of the Henry Ford Museum,  with the Independence Hall replication accented by the beautiful fall colors:

No,  we are not in Philadelphia - we are in Dearborn,  Michigan.

After I purchased my tickets,  I took a picture from the inside.
Here's my favorite~

One of the things my wife and I enjoy is treating our children and grandchildren to the amazing Hallowe'en event at Greenfield Village.  We went twice - once on October 18 and then again on October 26.  I did a blog post covering our visits a couple weeks ago  (HERE),  but I wanted to add a couple of pictures for this week as part of our Autumn fun:

Patty & I

Patty surrounded by geese.

The sun sets over the Edsel Ford Barn from the 1860s.

Some of the pictures look like I added brightness and saturation to the colors,  but I can assure you I did not.  No retouching at all.

One of the activities I enjoy very much this time of year is candle dipping.  When Greenfield Village offered this activity,  we would hand-dip our candles there - it was a part of their public interactive activities,  but unfortunately it was discontinued for some reason,  which I believe was a mistake on their part.  So,  in 2017,  I decided to do it on my own.  Some years it just didn't happen,  due to either poor weather  (wind or rain)  or timing.  To be honest,  it's a bit more fun doing it at home rather than at the Village because not only do I get a goodly supply of candles,  but I can do it with friends and family in the comfort of my own yard!

Especially now with my grandkids!

My small yard is set up and ready to go.

The pure beeswax begins to melt.
It takes an hour or so to get enough liquid to begin dipping.

...melting...

It's almost totally liquid...

Time to make the candles!

Depending on the thickness you desire,  it can take 40 to 50 dips.
This is probably about 25 to 30 dips.

My daughter,  Rosalia,  is the Queen of candle making!
She's nearly 24 and has been dipping candles since she
was around 4 or 5 years old.

This was Tammy's first time making candles.
Tammy is a former co-worker of mine.

This is also a first for Hailey,  Tammy's daughter and a former student of mine.

Ahhh...there's Jenny - the teacher in whose room I used to work as a parapro.
We are good friends now...and she has been dipping candles here almost as long as I've been having it.

My oldest grandson enjoyed this - he seemed to have a lot of fun!

My oldest granddaughter also had loads of fun!

My son,  Tommy,  helped us out.  Actually,  he picked up the slack
when his third youngest had had enough.  lol

Three generations candle dipping:
my son,  my grandson,  and I!

Hailey & her mom are so proud,  as they should be!

Me and my grandson...

I always try to get a group shot---and it totally slipped my mind this year  (you'll see why soon),  so this is pretty much as close as we'll have to a group shot.
Loving the fall look!

Each helper gets to keep a candle of their own dipping,  though I keep the rest  (hey---I paid for the wax!).   So I wound up with twenty-nine hand-dipped candles - - not bad!

Now,  this year I added something to our fall fun day:  pressing apples into cider!

Earlier this year I purchased a cider press.  Two,  in fact:  one is a table top press,  and the other,  which I am using here,  is much larger.  And it was exactly my plan to use it on this day.

The type of cider presses I have are called screw presses.  Invented in the 13th century,  the screw press used a weight attached to a large screw to press the apples after they were ground and filtered.  The design of the screw press is still used in most home-sized cider presses and some commercial equipment.

A friend of mine knew I was on the look out for a cider press,  so when he found
this on Market Place,  he notified me.  I then wrote the seller,  who lived about an
hour from where I live,  and a friend of mine & I went out to purchase it.  The seller
also threw in an apple grinder.
The bucket I purchased from Townsend's.

The apple grinder worked very well,  though it took three of us to work it:
1)  one turned the crank and kept the grinder from moving as the apples were ground
2)  one tossed the apples in
3)  one used a cudgel to push the apples into the grinding teeth

My friend,  Bob,  also joined us and really helped with the cider-making.
Bob  "doubles"  as Ben Franklin.  In fact,  my eldest grandson
commented that he did look like the founding father.

Jenny grabbed more apples out of the box.
We bought some of the apples while a friend donated a bunch.

My youngest grandson,  Eli,  even got into the mix by tossing apples
into the grinder.  He absolutely loved it!

Here is the group of us cider-makers!
Jenny also enjoyed the chicken soup Patty made for everyone.

When apples are ground down to a pulp to make cider,  the resulting mash is
called "pomace."  Pomace refers to the crushed apple pulp,  including the skin, 
flesh,  and seeds,  which is then pressed to extract the juice for cider making.
So here Patty & I are preparing the pomace to be mashed.

I am lining up the screw to the pressing plate.

My grandson,  Ben,  begins the pressing process.

Ben noticed the juices dripping into the bucket as his sister & brother
continue to press the pulp/pomace.  The press frame is a bit tall for them
but they did an amicable job.

And at one point,  the three of them joined together.

The result - - fresh-made apple cider!

Hailey wanted to give it a try,  and,  as you can see from Bob scooping
out some cider from the bucket,  she,  too,  did a fine job.

But the more the screw was turned,  the more difficult the job became,  so my
wife joined in to help Hailey.

I took over after a while,  and when it could not be turned  - ending
the pressing process - I wrapped the cheese-cloth around and pulled
out the pomace,  which will go off to feed my son Tommy's chickens.

Just like in the old days,  nothing is wasted.

Notice my grandson Eli there...looking to get more cider.

He could not get enough cider.
Everyone agreed it was the best tasting ever!

A partial family photo taken by Jenny.

Many thanks must go to my daughter,  my wife,  and Jenny for adding to my photo collection on this day.  Many of the images here were taken by them.

You know,  in a way,  we really are carrying on traditions of old,  having family and friends over to help make candles and cider.  This just may have been my favorite day of the year...I mean,  even without the period clothing,  I felt the spirit of America's past there.

All I needed was to be at the Daggett House - - lol - - - - - - 

There's my favorite house - The Daggett House!

A week later our annual Cannoli Shell Making Day took place.

Now what the heck do cannoli shells have to do with autumn??

Well,  family food history is a rich part of family heritage that can be preserved by sharing recipes,  photos,  and stories.

Yes,  I am descended from English & Germans - a long and full bloodline there on my mother's side that I've traced back to the 1500s England.  Sadly,  that line did not play too much of an active role in our current 21st century family.   But,  I am also descended from Sicilians,  and that bloodline has always been our strongest with the closest ties,  personally and through and through food heritage.  One of the foods that has always played a major part in my family history is the cannoli.  Now,  let's make sure it's said properly:
in English,  the singular form is  "a cannoli"  and the plural form is  "cannolis."  However,  some people with a good knowledge of Italian may use cannolo as the singular form.  This is the way my Sicilian grandfather always said it,  with the  "c"  sounding more like a  "g" - - the way my grandpa would say it would be  "gannola."  Sometime after he died back in 1972,  we all began to say  "cannoli."  Not sure why,  but we sort of Anglo-sized it.

Eh - - whaddaya gone t'do,  eh?"

lol

Anyhow,  our cannoli shell making day is a bonafide fall holiday in my family.  

This early November day is the day when our family & extended family gathers together to make dozens upon dozens of cannoli shells - enough to last the Holiday Season.

For our family it began with my grandfather,  who brought it over from Sicily when he immigrated to America in 1912,  and he passed it along to my dad & mom,  who passed it to my sister Sharon,  and now the torch has been passed to my son,  Tommy.

It is now our very long-time family tradition,  and in looking at the pictures herein you will see the 5th  generation…all the way down to my grandfather’s great great grandchildren,  all carrying on this family food history tradition!

My son - the bearer of the cannoli torch~

My sister - the former bearer but always there!

My daughter  (left)  and my wife  (right),  doing their part of the job.

Just eleven shells of the thirty dozen made~

I am most certain my grandfather is looking down at his great great grandchildren
helping to make cannoli.

I can imagine how proud he must be!

Me,  too,  for just a week earlier they were dipping candles and making cider!

It's a family affair...

So...were we active enough this autumn season? 

The way the activities took place turned out nearly perfect - I could have asked for a better season.  I have been blessed in the opportunity of my historical dreams. 

And,  yet,  there's more,  for on top of all this I did numerous historical reenactments centered on the fall and harvest.

For instance - - - - 

I mentioned earlier about purchasing two cider presses.  The one you saw just a bit ago,  and here is my second press  (actually I purchased this one first!)~
You see,  the very next day following cannoli day was the colonial Thanksgiving Harvest day at the Waterloo Cabin,  where we - myself and three wonderful friends - spent an entire day celebrating our own Harvest Thanksgiving as would have been done 250 years ago.  And,  yes,  we did make cider,  only we used my smaller table-top press.  Such a great day.

There will be a blog posting for this day coming next week~

~-~

I've received many kind comments from people looking at my Facebook posts & pictures,  and my response is - - do it!  If you like what I'm doing---do it as well.  It will cost a little money,  but the memories made,  especially with family,  cannot be topped.  I mean,  anyone can go to the beach or to a motel pool - - and pert-near everybody does.  So why not try something a little different?

Is it any wonder why it is my favorite time of the year?

Until next time,  see you in time.

.......................................