One of the many fall highlights for us is the start of apple cider season. There’s just something about it that fits perfectly with the crispness of the air, the vibrant colors of the leaves, and the smells that accompany the changing of the seasons. It’s equally delicious enjoyed cold and fresh or served warm, mulled with spices. Because of its deliciousness versatility, we also figured that it would be delicious transformed into apple cider jello.
Safe to say, apple cider jello has become a new favorite.
Saturday afternoon, while in Pennsylvania, we ended up at the annual Harvest Festival at Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm. Quiet Valley is vintage America, a “non-profit, educational corporation dedicated to the preservation and presentation of Pennsylvania’s agricultural heritage… a living museum.” On this weekend, they had a multitude of booths set up showing demonstrations of a plethora of skills and crafts from yesteryear, including butter churning, yarn dyeing, basket making (using straw and split oak), rope making, an outdoor brick oven, preparing sauerkraut, apple butter churning, a smokehouse, and many resident farm animals. Pretty much everything I want to learn how to do. Does it make me weird that I couldn’t give a hoot about the latest iPhone, but a vintage cider press sets my heart racing?
We didn’t get here until a bit later in the afternoon, otherwise we could have spent a lot more time walking around. Very informative and enlightening, and I picked up a few ideas along the way. If we lived in the area, I’m pretty sure I would find a part-time job here.
Cider press. Anyone looking to be rid of one?Blacksmithing.Lots of cast iron cookware around.Candle dipping.
Yarn dyeing – amazingly, using all natural products.The gardens were mostly fallow this time of year, but there were a few things left.
Another highlight of the trip was visiting the town of Jim Thorpe, whose history started with the nearby discovery of anthracite coal, and continued with the advent of the railroad. It’s been on several lists for best small towns in the U.S., and it’s a nice mix of history, architecture, and natural scenery. Fun fact: at one point, over half of the millionaires in the U.S. had homes in Jim Thorpe. Nestled in a valley next to the Lehigh River, it is quite the quaint little borough. While we were there, we rode the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, visited the Asa Packer Mansion and Old Jail, and wandered the fall festival that happens every weekend in October. With the chill in the air, the beautiful leaves, and the cozy feel of the downtown area, it made for a very pleasant afternoon.
Well, we got to take our sort-of annual trip without any kids. Of course, since C came along, what used to be a week-plus excursion has turned into a long weekend. Not complaining though.
We stayed a little closer this year, and headed to northeast PA and the Pocono area. As I’ve mentioned in the past, we tend to find ourselves in the mountains in the fall, and while this wasn’t quite as dramatic as New England or the Blue Ridge, it was still a very pretty area, and not as crowded. They don’t really cater to amateur photographers either – while there seems to be a stop about every three miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway, there was nary a scenic overlook to be had on an entire five-hour drive. So we had to make do and pull a few U-turns to find random clearings on the side of the road…
We started the trip driving northeast of Wilkes-Barre, going almost to the New York border before meandering down along the Delaware River toward Honesdale, where we had our home base set up. Actually, right outside of Honesdale, at a lovely little B & B called the James Manning House. If you’re ever in the area, spend a night or two here; you won’t be disappointed. The breakfasts are outstanding, the company is entertaining, and the cost is less than most hotels in the vicinity, which don’t provide near the level of service you’ll receive here.
The first day had the best weather – 70s and sunny. It did cool off after that, but at least most of the rain held off, unlike last year. I took it easy on S this year because of the extra person she’s carrying around, so no strenuous hikes – only a few more months until that excuse is off the table… 🙂 We saw some nice scenery, had some good food, checked out some history, and of course, no trip would be complete without finding a few waterfalls.
Lots of windmills along the tops of ridges out here.
So after that snow on Friday, we actually had a decent weekend, and we’ll probably still be in the 60s for the next day or two. Then snow in the forecast the day after that. I guess that’s par for the course in November.
I was able to get a bunch of trim up on the barn, and finished shingling yesterday (and glad I’m done with that – fiberglass shingles are nasty buggers), so now most of what’s left is getting the doors assembled and hung, then putting the window in (which is still on order, with an ever-later estimated arrival day). Then moving all the split logs that are littering the property to their new home.
S helped clean up most of the rest of the garden too – she ripped out what was left in the pepper and tomato beds, mercifully putting those plant skeletons to rest. It’s a bummer to not have anything green left in the garden (except those crazy peas), but looking at the freshly turned soil, it conveys a sense of not only the end of this season, but also of new beginnings yet to come. It lets me get my hopes up for next spring, when we’ll start it all over again. And of course, I have big plans for next year. But for now, I’m going to try to go into hibernation as soon as that barn is finished, and take it easy until spring. Just as soon as I finish tiling the shower. And shelves for C’s room. And the shoe molding in the kitchen and foyer.
No rest for the weary. I do plan on not working at such a frantic pace though, and trying to take time to just live life. Pretty soon I won’t have to worry about capitalizing on a nice day to get yard work done, so we can slow down a bit.
