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.

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!

Insert Carlton Family Here

Duncan, AZ grows the best sunflowers and I have always loved that.  I have wanted to get my family pictures taken in front of a field of sunflowers for a five or six years now.  I don't want to pay 300 or 400 for some fancy photographer to take a bunch of family photos.  I just wanted my sister to take the photos with her camera. That would be great. Last year we had lots of rain and the sunflowers were amazing.  Ashlee hiked out to a place she knew that had a lot of sunflowers to see if it would work for what I wanted.  It was perfect.  One problem our football schedule was so insane we could never get out of town to Duncan to take the photo. Then all the sunflowers died.  I was determined this year come heck or high water that my sunflower family photo was going to happen.  Well we went to scout it out and found that there were no sunflowers at all.  None.  We didn't enough of the right kind of rain to grow them. So disappointing!  Below is the photo of the spot we were going to use.

Insert Carlton family here

Maybe next year?!

Carlton Peas in a Pod!

I had been wanting to get a ultra-light portable hammock for some time but never had a reason to actually get one until Declan was going on a 50 mile hike for scouts.  I figured he could use it to sleep in while on his hike and then we could use it on any outing.  Declan slept in it for a week setting it up in a different place each night.  He got pretty good at it so when we went to set it up at Blackjack he knew just what to do.  

Declan shows Eddy how to set up the hammock

Once the hammock was set up everyone wanted to try it out.  The hammock can handle up to 600lbs so more than one could try it out at once even!

Zany gives it a go

Archy tries it out with trepidation and Declan helps him 

Let the master show you how its done!

Now it's Quinton's turn

Boy that hammock is almost touching the ground,

 Zany must be heavier than she looks

Who took a two hour nap in it?  Eddy!

Surprise, it's me, I had to use a bag for a pillow

What fun three peas in a pod:  Archy, Zany, & McCoy

So cute! 

You may find this at a local antique store, Germaine's Emporium.

Next time we may even talk Pa into trying it.  

An Evening with Coyote

Ah, Sunset. I love to feel the sun on my face. I wonder what I shall get for dinner.

Hmmm, looks like those javelina are nice and tender.

Surely they wouldn't miss a little one now would they?

That one does look a little mean, but he can't be that fast can he?

Wow, he is pretty light on his feet

I wonder what his forty time is, he can close pretty fast

That's right you better quit chasing me.

I don't really fancy javelina anyhow.

Looks like squirrel is back on the menu! 

Easter in Duncan (a catch up post!)

Every couple of years the Duncanites try to move the easter egg hunt to my house.  My tiny 1/3 of an acre isn't nearly as fun as risking pokes and scratches on acres of desert landscape.  The weather is always lovely and cool with just the right amount of sunshine.  The lilac is always in bloom and so are the orchids, besides at this point it is long standing tradition.  Nona always does some fun $5 dollar money eggs the kids really look forward too.

Baskets ready?

Ashlee and I always hide the eggs.  Over the years we have developed a few favorite hiding places. This year Ashlee thought it would be fun to throw eggs into these large briar patch full of really scratchy, pokey plants.  Poor McCoy (below) is right in the midst of them trying to get an egg.

Fighting hard for the egg

Declan fighting his own fight for the egg

Archy gets the easier turf since he is younger and finds one on the woodpile

                                Sometimes you gotta climb trees to get to the good eggs

Archy in Mulberry Tree

 A wee butterfly stops by to say hello!

Lilac bush in the front yard

After all that hard work it's time to check out the loot and eat the chocolate before it melts more!

Left to right back row: McCoy and Archer

Front row: Zany, Declan, and Quinton

After all the hunting was done we headed out to visit Grandpa Agle's grave.

Putting in new flowers

Forks up for Grandpa who was a Arizona State Sun Devil, too!  

We miss you!  It's a good reminder at Easter,

 that it's only temporary we'll see and be with him again.