Back from Vacay

This Labor Day holiday was probably the longest vacation I have had in several years.  One doesn't get to take vacations when on the homestead, but one also doesn't have to ask a boss for time off if she wants a day or week off. 

We went back home to the Midwest and visited family.  We took an extra day on the way home just for fun.  We stopped at Sky Top, a North Carolina apple orchard and picked up 1 1/2 bushels of apples to can up, freeze up and preserve.  Our property is filled with lots of cedar trees and I have been unable to grow apple trees because of cedar apple rust; and I will not use a fungicide every year or any year.  Besides, it gives me a wonderful excuse for a day trip to the mountains.

I have spent the last couple of days getting things back up to par.  The kids ate quick and fast foods while we were gone so real food had to be inventoried and restocked or composted.  One of the great things about having a homestead is nothing REALLY goes to waste.  I have only canned up 4 pints and 4 half-pints of cinnamon applesauce so far.  I only used up about half of my 1/2 bushel bag of Mutsu. My next batch will be all-day apple butter.  I also plan on drying a few, making canned and frozen apple pie filling.  I did get a 1/2 peck of Candy Crisp, strictly for snacking on.  Shouldn't have to see a doctor until 2016.  (An apple a day...get it?)

I would say I am back on track, but Hubby is still home for another week and deer season opens Tuesday, Notre Dame season is also here, so...no...I expect many diversions in normalcy still.
But, at least I now have my daily routines in a labeled notebook-that's a good start, isn't it?