Apples! Beautiful Apples!

When we traveled to Arkasouri recently, we were able to bring back 2 bushels of wonderful, fresh-picked apples to share around. The went very, very quickly! So when Beth and Eddie and several of their children went up (more recently!) they brought back more fresh-picked apples to share around. They brought back Jonathans and the mysterious Arkansas Blacks. What a good time we have had with apples!

The place we buy the apples is in Arkansas, and the same family owns the orchards and picks them as well as running the little roadside store. Both types are delicious, but the Arkansas Blacks will last and last, even in Florida's warmer winter. The orchard owner told me that if you put the Arkansas Blacks in cold storage (I guess it would have to be a refrigerator here in FL), they would last til May!

I am blessed with generous, energetic, and capable granddaughters, who are more than willing to come over and help Grandmother "put up" apples. Here, Gracie and I work on the old-fashioned, yet very efficient manual corer/slicer/peeler. Although I usually don't peel them, this ingenious invention makes quick work of a bushel!

Here, Kitty takes a turn -- umm, at turning!

A nice batch for cooking. I usually like to make lumpy applesauce -- it works well for applesauce, hot or cold, and even for pie or cobbler filling. I freeze most of it.

Sometimes, though, if I have helpers, I like to can some of them. Sarah "manned" the canner here. We are preparing for a time when we might not have electricity to keep the freezers going. (black helicopters, anyone??)

While she was canning, she decided to go ahead and make a couple of wonderful apple pies. This one has a crumb topping that is a delightful treat in itself! Granddaddy was overjoyed!

The reward for a day's labor. What a blessing to look in the pantry and see food for the future! Thank you, Lord, for your delicious and nutritious bounty!

Arkasouri: Random Photos

Since another trip is coming up at Christmas time, I better just put these up without worrying over a coherent story! Molly's girls, Callie, Mary, and "Margolet" went with us this time; they had not been up to see the property yet, and the lovely fall experience was the perfect time for a first visit! Here, Callie is enjoying the mostly-moderate weather.

Mary and the puppy Buddy down at the stone wall by the creek.

Margaret Anne loved being outdoors, and, once again, Buddy is her companion.

The first pasture fenced by Jason and the boys. Thanks, y'all! Hopefully, it won't be long before some hardy livestock will make this their home.

Sweet Savannah was so happy to have some company! She is a people person and loves having her cousins come visit.

And Joey came to visit! Just getting a preview of supper, right Joe?

Aunt Katie with Margaret Anne and Rachel, finishing off Matthew's birthday cake. This year, with family scattered among three states, birthdays have to be celebrated whenever visits take place.

Daniel, contemplating something. What an adventure to watch the Miller boys and Uncle Jason in "discussion"! They can hold their own in contest with Uncle Jason, the family prosecutor and debater-in-chief! (Yes, Jason, your sisters are just as . . . umm . . . bad! But the Lord turns those characteristics into strengths in the right situations!)

A smile on Matthew's and Jason's faces! Must be a friendly "discussion"! Thank you, Lord, for giving us the opportunity to see our children and children's children come to maturity -- skillfully defending orthodoxy and orthopraxy! What capable hands the Kingdom is in! God bless you, Warriors of the Cross!

Arkasouri: Crafts with Grandmother

Our Oct./November trip to Arkasouri was mainly for the "fall" experience with our children and grandchildren in the area. So Grandmother remembered how much fun it had been, when my children were little and we were living in Indiana, to collect colorful leaves and press them (with a warm iron) in waxed paper. One day, Margaret Anne ("Margolet", to Savannah), Rachel, and Savannah climbed on the Polaris for a trip down the drive and into the woods to find trees with leaves still hanging on. Margaret, Rachel, and Savannah can hardly wait to get started.

Mary, our faithful chauffeur, drives hither and yon, wherever lovely foliage presents itself.

Rachel and Margaret find some special specimens.

Organizing our finds for a beautiful nature picture to display.

Margaret Anne's creativity.

Rachel's display.

Savannah's collection.

We taped them to an outside door -- what brilliant fall colors!

Using a flash shows more of the sweet little ladies who made the displays! What a wonderful morning's activities for Grandmother! Thank you, Lord, for sweet, memory-making times like this!

Forty-four Blessed Years

Ah, yes, the "teen" marriage that wasn't "supposed" to last -- according to the experts! That was in 1965. But marriages and homes and families built on God's principles, as revealed in His Word, are for a lifetime. My sweetheart and I have been blessed with 44 years of happy, ordinary, but oh-so-wonderful wedded bliss.

We had exceptional examples in both sets of parents and grandparents. Marriage for a lifetime is God's plan, and when families are established and grown by the Word, what a blessed experience and what an incredible testimony! I would not change a thing. Thank you, Lord, for my wonderful husband and our family patriarch. You have been so good to me!

Two eighteen-year-olds, so sure of their future together, with faith in the Lord for the unknown.

Now, happy grandparents of 23, soon to be 25, faithful torchbearers into the future.

Tonight was a wonderful time together at a local "elegant" restaurant. Thank you, sweet Danny for your loving shepherding and patient forbearance over the years. My greatest earthly happiness would be another 44 years with you!

This song, by Tom Paxton, is one of our favorite non-hymns. It expresses the way we feel about each other.

"You Are Love"

You are the light in children's eyes.

You are the hope that never dies.

You are all the best in me,

And you forgive the rest in me.

You are courage wrapped in grace.

You are vict'rys laughing face.

You are Noah's returning dove.

You are love.

You are the welcome kiss of peace.

You are the joy of sweet release.

You are the mischievous at play.

You are the end of summer's day.

You are the soul who is my soul.

You are the half that makes me whole.

You are Noah's returning dove.

You are love.

Once the only word I knew was "I, I, I."

Nothing mattered but myself alone.

Still, a voice within me whispered, "Why? Why? Why?"

Why must you keep struggling on your own?

What an endless hill I tried to climb,
When you were there to help me all the time!

You are the garden where I walk.

You are the quiet twilight talk.

You are the comforting caress.

You are the end of emptiness.

You are the joy I longed to know.

You are the flower in the snow.

You are Noah's returning dove.

You are love.

For Molly

This trip to Arkasouri is happening at my favorite time of year, fall. I love fall and always have. The change of the seasons is invigorating to me, but I am afraid my Florida-raised children have a hard time understanding my passion for fall. So when we left (with 3 of Molly's darling girls), she said to send her lots of pictures of the scenes of fall. The blog seemed to be the best way to send a lot of pictures without mega-computer-hassles. Here are some of the sights of Arkansas and Missouri toward the end of leaf-peeping time.

You know what kind of photographer I am, so keep that in mind! I did manage to snap this glowing tree as we were passing at about 50 mph.

This was in Mountain Home AR and we liked it because of the many colors in the little grouping.

Along Highway 5, just before the Missouri border.

This is on Ozark County Road "W", just before turning off onto the dirt road to our property.

Another scene on W. Some of the trees are finished for the year, others have very little color yet.

Looking out across the hills, just before turning onto the dirt road. Not too much color out there, but pretty scenery.

The creeks were higher than last year, in fact, one night they were almost over the bridges due to so much rain. This creek borders the property.

The last bridge before turning into the property. The road continues right, the drive begins to the left.
The larger creek that crosses the property. One night, it rained so much the creeks were almost up to the bridges. The houses from the front of the property. There is some color mixed in with the green.

Danny in front of what I think is a maple of some sort.

Jason stops along the drive. The large creek is to the left.

Tree with glowing color.

Beautiful red bush down near the marina at Pontiac. Danny hates it when I ask him to pose for scenery! Thank you, Sweetie!

More glowing color. In the background is Bull Shoals Lake, one of the best trout lakes in the country, they say. Or was it bass????

Well, those were about the best I took. Molly, you know your girls will have wonderful pictures for you! Thank you, Lord, for a chance to have a "fall experience" after so many years!

Fall Colors of Florida

Once again, it's time to show the world that Florida does have fall colors! While other parts of the country are revelling in their leaf hues, we are experiencing our own unique form of fall color!


This is an interesting weed -- it is the wild balsam apple (source: resident botanist, Mary Stricklen). When it first develops, it is orange like and elongated pumpkin. Then it begins to open so that its seeds can disburse.

When fully opened, the seeds are exposed to the world and ready to find a place to take root. This weed invades groves and twines around trees. But while the fruit is on display, I think it is beautiful!

Here is the beginning of our winter color. This is a tree at the entrance into our property, loaded with wonderful flame or ruby red grapefruits. They are just beginning to turn and won't be ready to pick until January or February. But such and abundance is hard to pass up for recognition!

This grapefruit is either left over from picking last season, or early ripening. But it has color, so it is included!

These tangerines are on their way to being a treat on someone's table! They are down the road from our grove.

Fall color! Allergy sufferers won't think much of this ragweed, but fields full of beautiful yellow blossoms add to our autumn experience.

There are several lush bouganvillea bushes in our community. The blossoms linger long into the fall, and sometimes into winter.

This beautiful blossom is the Confederate Rose. It is not as sophisticated as a "regular" rose, but it is lovely and poignant.

The alamanda is a staple in central Florida landscapes. It is a sturdy bloom that never fails to cheer me up! This one lives in daughter Molly's beautiful yard.

Ah, my favorite fall color! The humble raintree. In our community, there are quite a few, and this time of year, the display is dazzling!

This full tree will be bare before long. The pink "blooms" remind me of Chinese lanterns. They have the same shape, and their papery texture is like a lantern.

Another raintree. With a better camera, the depth of the color would be more apparent, but it is beautiful, just the same.

Well, that's all the time for fall colors this year. Tomorrow, we leave for "Arkasouri" again, and fall foliage of a different kind!