Autumn wrap-up

(front row) Leslie, Ruby, Sue, Gloria. (back) Susan, Terri, Mary, Julie, Syliva.

Enjoyed a very brief - one night- reunion with a bunch of The Girls up at Mt. Hood this October as well. Five of went to high school together and the remainder are various friends from the Portland area picked up from work or school or socially. Basically, all of us knew most of us there forever. 

Leslie, Jess, Josh and Brian at corn maze

And of course fall would not be complete without a visit to the corn maze. We've done this so many times we're going to have to go in blindfolded next year. Getting too easy.

Fall +apples=cider

Back to Methow this October for cider making. It was a good crop of red roans this year so we got some good tasting cider. It was a very kid-centric weekend; each of the three Hole grandkids invited a friend so there were six teenagers and only five adults. We were outnumbered. 

Grandpa Keith leads Jessica on a horse adventure

The roan tree gets tag-teamed by the whole crew

Cousins Jess and Shiori (rear) get a ride from buddies Kelsey and Shayla

Josh and buddy Sean were in teen boy heaven with all the old cars

Fall = Apples

Autumn was all about apples for us. This bounty was  from our tree in Redmond. Our single fruit tree has been a mixed blessing. Some years the harvest has been meager and some years we've neglected it woefully but this year was a bonanza of what we think are Jonagold's (we didn't plant the tree, came with the  house). 

So what to do when life gives you too many apples? Make applesauce!! Spent the better part of  a Sunday churning out more than  2 dozen jars of applesauce and only used half the apples. We love homemade applesauce but may end up giving away some apples before we get done. It's a lot of work. 

Fall Joshua Fest

The end of September is Birthday Hell Week in our house. They fall like dominoes: first Kristin, then Travis, then Josh have birthdays -- within only four days. 


This year, however, was fairly simple. Kristin was in school in Portland and Travis didn't want any kind of celebration (only money) so it was All About Josh. 


He had a big to-do with a bunch of friends, a sleep-over movie and game orgy. It's been years since he's had a friend party, by his choice, so it was nice to see him do it up big socially. 


The next day was still All About Josh, as he was turning 16, which I guess B's family does big. So family came from all over to fete Josh with a Sixteenaganza. Seems like every gift had some sort of 16 theme, most silly and fun. Josh seemed to get a big kick out of it. He didn't get a car for his birthday or an expensive game console or fancy clothes but he did get lot's of love and lot's of laughs.