Every year now for quite a while, my brother Hank has gone to eastern Washington to get a big tote full of apples to be pressed into cider.
We gather, rain or shine, to attend to this ritual. We've been fortunate weather wise, with only one rainy fest day. We were treated kindly again today as the rain dried up in time for the working and playing and eating and talking.
With my mother's passing just after this event two years ago, we still feel her presence and miss seeing her sitting there in her chair surrounded by activity. My sisters and I are the grannies now, and we do our best to meet her high standard of grandmotherliness.
Here's the scene in pictures, with few words.
Thanks to Hank and Cindy for hosting and supplying the apples. Thanks to everyone who brought abundant food and supplied lively conversation. Thanks to the kids for being delightful. And thank you to Niece Katie for some of these photos which I stole from Facebook!
It's truly a family project!
I see why you make this a family affair. there are many processes involved. It'a very interesting post for somebody who's never lived where they grow apples. And I can smell the cider just by looking at your photos.
ReplyDeletewhat a fun family tradition...
ReplyDeleteThat looks like so much fun! What a sweet family tradition.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like such a ton of marvelous, delicious fun!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your photos very much. I actually have 5 bottles of sparkling apple cider in the fridge waiting for my Thanksgiving party.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures! Sounds like a wonderful family tradition.
ReplyDeleteBut what amazed me, Linda, was that picture of your mom. It may have just been *that* pic, but your mom looked so much like my mom who also passed away 2 years ago... (I had to keep going back to look at it).
What a wonderful family ritual. I hadn't thought about fresh cider for years. We used to make it when I was a child, out of windfalls, and the taste says fall to me in ways that few other things do. Thank you for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteLooks like great fun! How wonderful that the tradition continues:)
ReplyDeleteSuch fun! I was charged with delivery of Vermont apples and freshly pressed cider by the South Carolina/Georgia branch of the family. I guess I take apples for granted the way they do peaches.
ReplyDeleteHow cool is that? Your family has wonderful traditions! Will you adopt me?
ReplyDeleteTwo of my granddaughters live outside Chehalis YeeHaw! Family traditions like this are so important, especially for our young ones.
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