Harvest Time

We've got seven apple trees, and they all seem to be producing at once in spite of being advertised as early, mid-, and late season. Sometimes it's hard to tell them apart by sight, but it's fun to taste the differences: sweet, tart, crunchy, not-so-crunchy, floral, juicy...the list goes on. Then we have our sole pumpkins, maybe enough for a small pie, maybe not; I never have much luck with pumpkins. But beans! what a year for string beans! It's the first time I've tried canning Dilly Beans and I don't know if I can wait very long before I open a jar to taste. I also put up a jar of refrigerator-pickled beans and carrots--those should be ready in a few days. And lovely marinated cucumbers with ginger and garlic and rice vinegar. It's a new challenge to try all this pickle stuff, and so far very rewarding.  And then there's tomatoes, not in this photo, but the dryer is humming away in the back room and a new batch will be done by the time I'm ready for bed. I'm feeling very Little House on the Prairie, gathering my acorns against the winter. Unlike the squirrels, I know exactly where to find all my treasures.