WEEKEND MOMENTS | APPLES + BABIES

It’s kind of ironic that I lived in the country for 17 years of my life and only now do I REALLY appreciate all those things that were so readily available for more than half my life. We grew up surrounded by apple orchards and neighbours gladly let us go pick apples and run around like idiots in their land. Back then I wished I could trade my apple for a chocolate bar most days. I’m pretty sure I often thought NOT ANOTHER APPLE in my lunch bag. Now I could eat 10 a day and I salivate at the thought of a local Quebec apple. It’s pretty much the only time of year I buy apples from the grocery store.

We heard on CBC radio about the Philion Ecological Orchards in Hemmingford – about an hour outside Montreal – and Matt was happy to take me. We were incredibly lucky to have unseasonably warm weather this weekend and it was perfect to spend a late morning driving out of the city and picking apples in the sunshine. We took home 15 lbs of apples – I may have been a little too enthusiastic about how many apples I needed but I plan on putting them to good use. I think it would be great to have homemade applesauce for baking. Lets not forget pies, cakes, crumbles and I vaguely recall making a curried apple and sweet potato soup in the past – I will need to look up that recipe.

I received an unexpected text message from my friend Meaghan letting me know that she was coming to town for the afternoon with her dad and 7 month old Katie Bea. I was happy for the excuse to go walk up mount royal to join them for a quick afternoon visit. Babies grow so fast, I wish they lived closer so I could see them more than once every few months. Still, it was nice catching up and getting a chance to carry Katie around till my arms got tired. I considered it my arm workout of the day.

Fall is beautiful but I already miss the longer days and warm evenings of summer.