The search for a crabapple tree was a total bust. Although there were two or three vendors selling good-size fruit trees at the festival, the only apples were standard size varieties, not crabs. One Asian family had the best selection of trees, but (and this shocked me) they had never even heard of crabapples! It made me wonder if they were just running the stall for someone else. They obviously didn't know much about trees in general. Their little son was adorable, though, and kept trying to help me (aka sell me something). After making calls to several local nurseries, it looks as though we'll have to order a crabapple tree online if we're going to get one. I'm surprised by that.
It was still fun to look around the Fall Festival, though. I had a corn dog and fresh lemonade for lunch, then bought a big bag of fresh apples straight from the North Carolina mountains to bring home. King Luscious, Rome, Granny SmithIt , Fuji, and Golden Delicious were the varieties I picked. I'm planning to make pie tomorrow, but I like them just as well fresh and eaten in thin slices.
Speaking of apples, I've been on the hunt for a food dehydrator. No one around here seems to carry them in store so it looks like I may have to use Amazon to get one. I would love to start making apple and banana chips for healthy snacks among other things.
Yesterday I began building a raised bed for next year's garden in my back yard with the border stones that were here when we moved in. There's still some work to do, but I'm excited with how it's turning out so far. You can see the bananas in this picture, and don't they still look good? That's because we keep trimming off all the yellow leaves! They'll be gone before too much longer.
This afternoon I had lunch with two friends and that was really nice. I had a yummy grilled chicken Greek salad with pita bread and tzatziki on the side.
It was so good to see Marian and Paulette! We passed a pleasant hour, talking over our lunches.
Now I'm back at home, spending the afternoon with George and Marco. I'm making homemade soup for the first time this fall for our dinner tonight, and the house smells wonderful! It's not all that cool outside, but it is overcast, so soup seems appropriate. It's fun to cook and do things around the house on a weekday when one would normally be at work! I'm enjoying this little break.
That raised bed you built looks terrific! You have done a fabulous job on that! Your arms must be sore from all of the lifting - a good workout!
ReplyDeleteYour Greek salad look really delicious! Sounds like you are making the most of your break! Well done!
I'm not too sore, surprisingly. It felt good to do some lifting and get some exercise. I used to be a lot stronger than I am now, back when I worked in a Pier 1 store and lifted furniture and unloaded furniture shipments on a regular basis.
DeleteThat chicken looks tremendous. Oh, and say ouch to sore muscles with that raised bed, but it will be worth it!
ReplyDeleteAs I said to Ellen, I'm not sore. I need to do more heavy lifting these days to maintain strength! :)
DeleteMaybe crabapple trees are not as popular as they once were? I remember when it seemed like every house had a crabapple tree!
ReplyDeleteI know, right? I was so surprised that they're apparently no longer common in this area.
DeleteYou said the bad A word!!!! LOL!!!! A friend of mine got a dehydrator at BB&B. I hope you be able to get a crabapple tree. My mother has two, and they are glorious in the spring when they bloom. And that Greek chicken salad looks delish!!!!!
ReplyDeleteIs it politically incorrect to call people Asians? I had to look to see what "A" word you meant! My good friend is married to a Laotian man and their daughter is half Lao, and they have no problem with calling Asians Asians. Of course, I meant no offense to anyone. The family's little boy was darling (you can see him on the side of the picture I shared).
DeleteWe're not supposed to say Asian? I didn't know that!
DeleteROTFLMAO!!!!!!! The A word I was referring to was Amazon Jen! It's a running joke on my blog how much I despise Amazon and crocs more then anything else! I didnt' mean to get you worried...
DeleteBWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!
Hahahahaha!!!!!! Good one!
DeleteThe raised garden looks very nice. It will take beau coup dirt to fill it.
ReplyDeleteYou're right about that! We're considering buying bagged compost a couple of bags at a time throughout the winter and holding them in the garage until spring, that way the cost will be spread out some. Either that or just ordering a truck load to be delivered all at once.
DeleteWe used to have crabapple trees in our yard when I was a kid. Loved those trees.
ReplyDeleteNow, we saw a commercial or something the other day and they showed a corn dog, and I told Carlos I loathe hot dogs but love corn dogs.
He looked at me like I was nuts.
Twenty-one years in, and he doesn't know my corn dog fetish???
I love your raised bed. I think we may try that next spring in our garden.
I'm making a plan to put tall stakes down the center and then attaching hog wire to it, to make a divider trellis. We have a huge roll of hog wire a gardening friend gave me last spring and it could make a really sturdy support for tomatoes and vining crops.
DeleteI love hot dogs and corn dogs! Funny the things we continue to learn about our partners even after years and years go by!
Definitely soup weather here. It seems to have come earlier this year.
ReplyDeleteAt least it's cloudy and not hot here, even if it is a little warmer than usual for this time of year. I put most of last night's soup in the freezer in meal sized portions.
DeleteThat's too bad you couldn't find a crabapple tree. I always thought they were fairly common but maybe that's changed. You did a tremendous job on the raised bed! It's hard work carrying all those stones and setting them up. I bet your arms know it now!
ReplyDeleteGregg was off and helped me carry and stack the stones. Even for two people, it was a lot of work!
DeleteMmmh, can I have some of that soup? It is rather chilly here today, and I am working from home with not much time for cooking during my lunch break.
ReplyDeleteYour raised bed looks great! I am sure it will bring you much joy.
You know you can make apple and banana chips in the oven; of course it takes rather a long time and you won't be able to use the oven for anything else during that time.
I am glad you are enjoying your break - you definitely deserved it!
The soup turned out pretty good, except I think I added a little too much dried thyme. (I love putting bay leaves and thyme in vegetable soup). It was still tasty, just very herb-y. :)
DeleteYou have been very busy with that raised bed...what will you grow in it? I had to look up corn dogs! Not something we have here!
ReplyDeleteI was just commenting to another US "friend" that I enjoy finding out about the differences between our countries, especially the food.
Oh my goodness! You've missed a real treat if you've never had a corn dog. I love them dipped in yellow mustard. My husband eats them dipped in ketchup.
DeleteYes they do sound rather nice !
DeleteLunch looks delicious. Brilliant job on the elegant raised bed! We had a big crab apple tree when I was a kid. I loved that tree.
ReplyDeleteLunch was really good, but somewhat overpriced. I'm not a huge fan of the restaurant my friends chose, but it was good to see them no matter where we were.
DeleteHave you tried looking at a sporting goods store? They sometimes have food dehydrators. A lot of hunters make jerky with them. I know this because...
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea! We've even talked about making homemade jerky treats for George.
DeleteOh my Lord! That lunch looks so delicious and healthy too. Couldn't you grow an apple tree from a pip? Much cheaper and after twenty years more satisfying!
ReplyDeleteWe don't have 20 years to wait, Neil. I mean, we probably technically do, but we're not 20somethings with our first home and a lifetime in front of us!
DeleteYour Greek lunch is pretty much my favorite meal. I even buy tubs of Tzatziki to have on the side with meals I make. Your bananas look healthy and tropical and please come and make me a raised garden just like yours.
ReplyDeleteI adore Greek salads and tzatziki. The bananas only look healthy because we keep lobbing off the yellow leaves. Pretty soon there won't be any left! :)
DeleteIt IS surprising that it's so hard to find a crabapple tree. I've noticed that here in the UK some people call them Malus, but that's just the family name for all apple varieties, as I understand it. Not very specific!
ReplyDeleteThe raised bed looks awesome! I doubt it would look so neat if I'd built it. :)
Well, the stones are connected in threes. Each one is heavy, but fairly easy to stack. I'm really surprised about the crabapples, too.
Delete