Labor Day: apple picking

Years ago when Zany was just a baby, we went up the mountain.  Around here everyone knows that when you say "the mountain" it means Mt. Graham a sky island with an elevation of 10,000+ feet.  Our town sits at the foot of this large mountain.  Although there are mountains in every direction you look, around here Mt. Graham is the most famous and it's where everyone goes for camping or to cabins.  There also is an orchard on Mt. Graham that was planted by some pioneers and it continues to produce lots of fruit.  Labor Day morning we decided to go up the mountain and pick apples.  Last time we went it was terrible.  The kids (all of them!) had a constant whine going about the following: the bees, the grass, the weeds, the heat, not enough water, the hike.  We went on the last day the orchard was open last year and it was hard to find apples to pick.  Lesson learned.  

This year we went early in the apple season and we went first thing in the morning.  It was a total delight! We even found my much longed for Arkansas Black apple! Arkansas Black apples are firm, crunchy and tart--my favorite combination in an apple.  Everyone had a great time and I think a new Labor Day tradition has been started. 

  

McCoy considers what apple to pick while Zany and Archer display there chosen apple

Before we knew it we had nearly filled two buckets of yummy apples, luckily we brought a strong guy to carry them because the hike back to the cars is all uphill.

Quinton

 It is nearly impossible to get Quinton to smile for the camera he prefers the serious, model look.  Eddy thought he could get him to smile though.

Quinton tries to ignore Eddy but . . .

Eddy got him to smile

Just one more apple for the bucket! says Archer

Not to be outdone, Declan shows off his muscles

From left to right: Declan, McCoy, Archer, Quinton and Zany

Teamwork: Archer and Quinton

But to get the really high ones Archer stands on Eddy

Cutest apple picker ever: Zaynzley!

 Quinton decides he is inspired by the mountain views and wants to recite a poem by Robert Frost.

After Apple Picking by Robert Frost

My long two-pointed ladder's sticking through a tree 

Toward heaven still, 

And there's a barrel that I didn't fill 

Beside it, and there may be two or three 

Apples I didn't pick upon some bough. 

But I am done with apple-picking now. 

We too are done with apple picking and now proudly own about 50lbs of apples. Yikes we really had fun picking apples! No one wanted to put any back so we bought them all.  Making applesauce may be in our future.

McCoy's Scout Outing: Cluff Ponds

McCoy is part of a Boy Scout Troop for 11 year olds.  They meet once a week and work on merit badges.  His troop was working on the Water Safety/Water Rescue and so they took an outing to the nearby Cluff Ponds.  McCoy is an excellent swimmer thanks to swim team so that aspect of the rescue came easy for him but maneuvering canoes and small boats was a little trickier. McCoy learned the 5 ways to rescue someone when drowning.  McCoy much preferred the swimming to the boating.  He had fun jumping off the dock as well although the very best was all the snacks his leader brought!

 McCoy in all black on the shores of the pond

Admiring the crawdads from afar

I'm sure McCoy isn't about to bop a kid in the head, right?

This pedal boat wasn't working to well so they had to get oars and row.

McCoy facing camera in black

McCoy had a great time and is one step closer to getting his Eagle rank for Boy Scouts of America.

$25.00 Ice Cream Sundae

Where can you find a $25.00 ice cream Sundae? No, not Italy, where once my sister was bamboozled into buying a much more expensive gelato than she expected.  We knew what we were buying-- a baseball helmet full of Cold-stone Creamery ice cream!  The whole family had gone to a Diamondbacks baseball game. Eddy likes to sit at the very top in front of an air conditioning vent.  It is quite a steep hike-like going straight up to get to our seats.  Once you're up there you have to be pretty motivated to leave your seat and head down ten flights of stairs to the bathrooms or food vendors.  Luckily for us, Eddy was willing to make the trek.

Eddy's triumphant return

Eddy holding the helmet of ice cream, waffle cone pieces and 

two brownies with seven spoons!

Moments after arriving everyone digs into the ice cream

 The ice cream lasted quite a while and most of us had had plenty and there was still some left.  Of course a few valiant ones were willing to finish off every last bite.

Archer holding the nearly empty helmet

Quinton savors the last of it

(Just down from him were a group of shirtless boys--Archer decided to join them)

Not only did we get $25.00 of ice cream but Eddy also got a souvenir helmet for his office!  

What a bargain!!

Country Playground

Nona had a friend who set up a country playground at his farm and he invited us to come a play at it. The kids were really excited as they're all kinds of fun equipment to try out. I was a little worried but kept it to myself.  There was a zip line swing, a super high rope swing, spinning tractor ride, atv, and horses.  The kids had so much fun and got to enjoy their first ever horseback ride.  Zany has loved horses since she was little.  She talked about getting to ride a horse for days afterward.  

Declan tries the zip swing

McCoy was fearless

Archy took it a little slower

Archy just loves animals, especially dogs

Zany on the rope swing

Gives you and idea how high the rope swing could go. 

You climbed up the hay bales and jumped off

Archer and Zany

Tractor seat spining ride, faster you pulled the level the faster you went.

Quinton even enjoyed it

Archy's first horse ride

Zany enjoying the view!

It was a fun outing, and no one got hurt! Big plus when you're a worried mama!

Catwalk Revisited (Glenwood, New Mexico)

When I was in high school, there was a magical place called The Catwalk.  It was a canyon that a stream/river ran through and along the canyon walls there were metal grates and railings designed to let you walk above the water. There were swimming holes various places along the route.  Waterfalls, rock slides, and hidden coves were all along the stream.  It was such an amazing place.  We would go there for pre-prom dates, or just with a group of friends for the day.  It was one of my favorite places.  I always meant to take my kids there but I was waiting until they were older because it was quite a hike to get back to the waterfall.  

A couple of years ago, there was a terrific storm and the canyon was nearly filled to the top with water with a flash flood.  It wiped out all the catwalk walkways and ruined the hard work that had been put into for over 50 years.  Part of the catwalk was recently reopened with about a mile of trail restored.  

We decided to go and see if it was restored to its former glory.  It took a couple hours to get there and it was quite crowded when we arrived.  We decided to hike before we ate our picnic lunch.

Declan (left) and Archer wade through the stream

Our party on the bridge

"Forks Up"

Overlooking the very small stream 

Carlton Clan

We only found one really good swimming hole, which made me sad there used to be so many.  Archy was game to jump in and go for a wee swim.

Archy swimming away

Quinton preferred to hike up where he found a cave

Declan with his canoe

McCoy prepares to jump

Zany got in the swimming hole too with Eddy's help

Archy's having fun now!

(Ashlee asked if I ever feed him after she saw this photo!)

It was all fun and games until Zany tried jumping off and slipped and skinned her knee.  Luckily her mama was prepared and had bandaids. 

Poor Zany and her hurt knee

We were a bit disappointed by the low water level, crowds of people, the short hike but maybe in a couple more years they will restore more of the catwalk.  It is a lovely drive if a bit long and what they have restored is very nice.  Archy especially liked it and wants to go back.  Maybe he will even take a prom date there someday.

Fun at Blackjack

Ashlee and I are always longing to get out into nature and picnic or camp.  We decided to head up to Blackjack to check it out and see if it would be a good spot to camp.  With the elevation at 6300 feet it is a bit cooler than where we live and it is in the pines.  One of our (Ashlee and I) favorite TV shows is ALONE on the history channel. It is a survival show where 10 people get left on their own with no food or human contact and whoever last longests gets half a million dollars.  The setting is amazing forest and ocean. We don't want to do the whole survival thing but camping in a beautiful setting we could do!

Blackjack is pretty close, less than an hour drive and we were there.  We set up our day camp and planned on a picnic lunch/dinner.

Picnic Time

McCoy playing in the pines

Archy using his monkey skills to climb a tree all by himself

It wouldn't be an outdoor picnic without some baseball.

Quinton as catcher, McCoy pitches

Quinton decided to take the lazy route and catch while sitting a chair.

The seated catcher, Quinton

Besides baseball you gotta play some games card games and some Headbandz.  Pa got an appropriate card for the woods!  Bigfoot!

Princely Pa

After our meal we went on a hike that began with a trail and ended up with us wildkating it ( a wee nod to our high school alma mater WILDKATS) through the forest.

Carlton Clan on a hike

On the hike we saw some lovely catci and something shocking!

Cactus in bloom

While we were hiking off trail we came across an abandoned hobo camp.  There were blankets, books, unopened canned foods, trash. Everyone was shocked by the find and wondered if it's former occupant would be returning.

Checking out the abandoned camp

Declan, Zany, Archer in hat and McCoy

 with an Alligator Juniper Tree

Later the Fortitude Four (Ashlee, Zany, Rhiannon, & Declan), went on another hike right up a steep hill to the very top.

Onward, hikers!

View from the Top

Once one of us decided we like something it isn't long before everyone else jumps on the bandwagon.  Declan liked our walking poles and bought some for himself now Zany wants some but she could only pretend.

Declan and Zany

Imaginary poles work as well as real ones!

Maybe a rare bird in there somewhere?

Archer swings the tomahawk that Pa helped him make.

Pa was on the hunt for feathers for a project and was offering a quarter per large feather.  Zany with Ashlee's help Zany found one.

Zany and moneymaker feather

It wont be long before we head back for some camping fun, but I think we'll take food we aren't quite ready for the survivalist experience!