Apricot everything

Many people seem to have had a bumper crop of apricots this year—our backdoor neighbour’s tree is bowing down under the weight of its fruit and we’ve received a few emails from around the ward inviting us (and anyone else) to come and pick apricots. We don’t have an apricot tree, ourselves. My mom does—but I haven’t noticed if it has a lot of fruit or not this year.

I don’t really pay attention to that sort of thing because I don’t really enjoy apricots. Grandpa Reid does though and Rachel does, too! We sent them out to pick some more apricots yesterday because we had used up the apricots that Daddy and Grandpa picked on Monday by making 27 jars of delicious apricot-pineapple jam. Grandma was showing Aunt Sarah and me how to can. Grandma has also been busying herself making fruit leather the last two days. We’ve used a ton of apricots.

Since the dogs—big golden retrievers—were out for a walk (and therefore not in the backyard) Rachel was brave enough to join Grandpa in today’s harvest.

I think she had a lot of fun. Her least favourite part was squishing apricots under her bare feet.

Miriam came out to help for a few minutes, too, although she wasn’t really too helpful at this age.

The dogs came rushing into the backyard when we were just finishing picking. I’m actually not clear on whether the picking ended because the dogs came or if we really were quitting, anyway. Rachel and I kind of got spooked, but Rachel got brave enough to pet one of the dogs—both dogs were rather exhausted from their walk so they weren’t as peppy as they normally are and just sat still while Rachel was dragged up to them by Grandma approached them instead of jumping up and slobbering on everybody.

Grandma and Grandpa are in the kitchen right now making another 30 or so jars of jam, which they already have plans for gifting away because who needs more than 27 jars of jam at one time?

Apricots are okay, I guess, but I’m kind of missing having mangoes mysteriously deposited on our balcony (only to discover that there is a mango tree right outside our door) and seeing avocados grow over head, and driving past date palm groves. *sigh* Oh, Egypt…