Apples
Not just for weird celebrities who never read a baby names book.
I've never really thought much about apples before. They are a fruit and for the most part I get along well with fruits. They aren't disgusting like the dreaded liver and onions but not as wonderfully delicious as chocolate. You give me an apple and I'd respond, "eh, okay."
Then came this week. It started innocently enough, my mother-in-law called yesterday and suggested apple picking. Eh, sure, why not? So we went apple picking at the farm we also go pumpkin picking in October. I quickly learned that a peck is about a small sized grocery bag, two pecks equals half a bushel, so on and so forth. And of course the kids all had to have their own peck bags. Eh, whatever. Off in the orchard we went!
I'm always painfully aware of how "city-fide" my kids are when we are on a farm. They literally cannot walk in grass taller than 4 inches. It's embarrassing. So while most of the orchard was mowed, it wasn't neatly trimmed around the trees like it is in those Florida grown orange juice commercials. And the branches the kids could reach were near the tree trunk and they were having fits walking in grass. Let alone trying to pull an apple off the tree. "What you mean, we can't pick the ones on the ground? Why aren't they in bins like at the grocery store?" *smacks forehead*
After much apple picking and falling in 4 inch high grass, we decided, eh let's call it a day. Zach showed that he inherited more than just his looks from his father (i.e. his bad sense of direction!) but we made it back to the old man in overalls to pay. We managed to consolidate the 5 peck bags into 4, meaning I was now the proud owner of an entire bushel of apples! But after closer inspection when we got home, my kids suck at picking apples and I threw away about a peck of bad apples. Whew!
Which brings me to today. What the heck am I going to do with half a bushel and a peck of apples? Never fear, the school is coming to my rescue! Huh?
Dear Parents, Please send 2 apples to school to celebrate Johnny "Appleseed" Chapman's birthday and enough apple treats for the whole class. signed Zach's teacherOkay doke, 2 batches of Apple Muffins coming up! (minus the walnuts) Oh but first I have to make the applesauce to use in the apple muffins recipe.
Dear Parents, Please volunteer to help with our "Apple Day!" Your child will need to bring apples (one red, green, and yellow) this day. signed Emily's teacherHmm, well this one kinda looks yellow and maybe this one is green in the right light...
Dear Parents, Please send in ONE apple as we will be doing many apple activities in the next few days. Also an apple treat to share with the whole class would be greatly appreciated. signed Ally's teacherOnly one apple? Are they sure? They really can have this whole peck! And I guess this means I need to make more applesauce and bake more apple muffins...
I just want to know what do other schools do in areas without apples. Kiwi week? Bring a Coconut to school? I never knew so much learning could be had with apples.
I hope I have enough apples...
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