Who Likes Pie?
Apple Pie
Winter’s Holly King, can be felt now in the air… The days grow shorter with each passing day. The sky is already dark. A chill is entering the now beautiful, comfortable air outside. The trees too are preparing to sleep through the winter. Tess, is wearing her red dress now to match the dress of the Fairy Queen. Soon the Fairy Queen will flee, perhaps to Florida for a warmer climate and Tess, will drop all her glorious red leaves. The trees will become giant skeletons surrounding the small farm. The wildflowers too are withering off to their winter beds. Only a few remain. Everywhere I look, the world is lit up by colors of the now bright and colorful foliage. Autumn, is well underway now with winter coming in cold on her heels. It is pumpkin season, and apple cider donuts season….. And apple pie season.
Luonnotar, hangs in the sky tonight, spinning a thread for the stars about the old singer, Vainamoinen, who once went out in search of a Sampo… If you listen to her carefully, you may hear her story tonight if you find yourself somewhere dominated by nature. Tonight, she tells the story of Aino and the first Kantele. Here on my little farm with the forest surrounding me it is hard not to hear her story… The cool air carries it down from above on the night breeze. It will soon be time to bring in the stacked wood and to run the wood stoves that offer us the most wonderful winter time cozy. A cozy, that is priceless through a New England winter. But, not quite yet… A little time remains before the true hard cold sets in. Apple picking season is coming to an end. Harvested apple eating season is just beginning.
Today, I made an apple pie. My mother stopped in with my grandmother… We had the last BBQ for the year. Like the wildflowers, the grill too will now sleep through the winter. Apple Pie, was our desert. A big all American, apple pie. And my only regret, was that my in laws, were not here to share it. I know how much they have wanted to try a proper apple pie. The good news is, we canned a whole bunch of apple pie filler earlier in the season. It should be good now for the next 2 years. So when ever they make it to visit, a pie will be hot and fresh out of the oven. Though I will have to ask their pardon, as I make really ugly pies. I am not even kidding. Somehow, I can never seem to make a pie that doesn’t look like a big mess. I look at Pinterest sometimes, and I ogle all the perfect pies…. And I wonder…. What is wrong with me that I can’t create something so beautiful? But, my pie still tastes perfect even if it’s appearance is a bit defunct. Still what I would give to be able to make a perfect pie… I don’t even like pie. I just like the challenge of trying to make them perfect. And I hate the challenge too because I always have to then deal with my own abject failure at being unequal to the tasks of my kitchen such as getting the pie top crust on right. I have considered just doing an apple tart, but then I start to feel like I am copping out. And so, I ruin another pie instead… Oh well…. As they say, if at first you don’t succeed, ruin more pies!
It was an interesting dinner. The dog did a great deal of whining. He even tried to lick the meat at one point. Grandma and I argued over politics. My husband tried to hide, and my mother must of had some very interesting email on her cell phone…. Somehow we got through it though. We finished the evening, with my ruined pie. After endless complaints, about Trump, and Biden, and American science illiteracy, and spam emails, finally we could all come together to enjoy the flavor of a wicked ugly, apple pie. I totally mucked up the top but the flavor cures all ills. Except spam emails…. Nothing solves spam but a spam box.
We took a ride around town looking at the colorful leaves. And it was a perfect day for it. The sun was actually shining and the sky was clear, which lit up the foliage like tiny stained glass bits hanging from the trees, a colorful bright display that I can’t seem to get enough of in the fall. Nature’s last hurrah, before everything turns white.
Halloween, is only a few days away now. I find myself deeply saddened that I will miss it, as no one ever comes up our farm road to trick or treat. So for us it is just any other night. It is sad, though I wouldn’t trade my distance from the main road for anything. Not even for what was my favorite holiday before I made a life here at Wildflower. So, tomorrow, Christmas planning and organizing will begin. All the design books on Christmas, will come out and decisions will be made, research will be done, and order will be given to the many wonderful activities surrounding this new favorite holiday of mine. After that, the week will begin again. A week full of work, and time spent with Pete, my beautiful horse, who is one part of why I run this little B&B. I am trying to build a barn for him right here on property. So, the B&B, helps me save to pay for that…
The goats, are also enjoying the fall. They are out there stuffing themselves on the beautiful colorful leaves. Gorging themselves pretending no one ever feeds them. Better they do that though than what they were doing a couple weeks ago, when they shouted, “Baaaattica! Baaaaaattica!” as they busted through their fencing and put an end to the herb garden. Took 3 days of madness, till we caught them in the act so we could fix the fence. Now between chewing fallen leaves, they plot for a winter escape… Which no doubt, will be another heinous event of loose goats being naughty all over the yard…. Not something I am particularly looking forward to, unlike bringing in the stacked wood and creating the cozy that will take us through the coming long New England winter.
And now, after trying to sit down all day I have finally managed a break. Been on my feet since 8:30 am working. Ironically, my break is even work… Since it has been all about this blog post. Tomorrow should be easier and lots of fun.
Thank you for reading.
Amanda of Wildflower Farm
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