Three pumpkins and a bandaid

For reasons I can't quite put my finger on, Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. I don't particularily like to dress up in a costume. And I definitely don't like to be scared. Maybe it's the time of year (I love fall), pumpkins, and the chocolate bars that I "borrow" from my kids' bags.

Anyhow, one of my least favorite parts of Halloween is the actual carving of pumpkins. The idea of it is fun and creative...but the reality is sore arms and gooky pumpkin guts. This opinion, however, is not shared by the kids who have been bugging me to carve their pumpkins for weeks now. This year I volunteered Fred to head this project. As he handed out the knives, I snapped the pictures. The result: three festively carved pumpkins, roasted pumpkin seeds and a bandaid on Grace's pinky finger. Not bad considering the odds.

Little things can be killers

Yesterday while watching Oprah, she said something that she has said before "people want to feel validated...people want to be listened to and heard...." That isn't an exact quote, but the general idea of what she said. I understood her, that people want to be recognized for who they are, and what they need. When we are struggling and stressed and we yell at our kids, our spouse, our co-workers....hopefully they are hearing "I'm overwhelmed and tired. Cut me some slack. Understand my frustration. Reach out and help me through this." I got this.

This morning it occured to me as I looked at the capless toothpaste tube in my childrens' bathroom, that it's not always the big things that break us down in our daily lives, it's the little things.

A sick relative, being fired from a job, a child that's not behaving....our friends and family will rally around to offer advice, support and empathy. Don't get me wrong, it's wonderful to receive this. And I thankfully rely on it. But where are they when you find the sock shoved in between the couch cushions after you've endured your kids' cries of "I can't find socks" as you try to get the to school on time?

Like Chinese water torture, each unheeded request drips unto our sanity, boring a hole millimeter by millimeter, eventually getting big enough to let the crazies in. The dirty clothes on the floor merely inches from the laundry basket. Dishes caked with hardened rice krispies on the counter, while the open dishwasher door beckons, no pleads with them to put them inside. And yes, despite hundred of requests, the cap never seems to make it back onto the tube of toothpaste. Am I alone in this? Time to vent people! What little things drive you to doors of the "nut-house"?

How do you like them apples?...A LOT!

Saturday afternoon a neighbor boy stopped by to chat and happened to mention that he and his sister was taking a walk down the road to pick up "drops" of Northern Spy apples for his mother. Now those of us who are die hard pie makers know that Spies make the best apple pies! And the thought of getting a bunch for free is akin to winning the lottery...well, almost. So, of course, I invited myself and daughter, Paige, along.

I ended up getting, oh probably a half a bushel. Enough to make some fresh apple pies, apple pie kits and perhaps some applesauce if I'm not "appled out" by that time. Now upon viewing these luscious beauties you may think they're not so pretty...but I do. You see the spots are evidence of what I already knew...the apples were grown organically. Living in the heart of orchard country, it is still hard to find organically grown fruit. I'm lucky enough to have a neighbor who not only grows Spies, but grows them organically! Yippee!

Now that you know what apples make the best pies...want to know the best recipe? It's fairly simple and one that has been used by atleast three generations in my family.

First the crust (taken from Woman's Home Companion Cook Book circa 1942--the one my grandma used)

** Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2/3 c. shortening (I prefer the butter flavor...and usually use a bit more than 2/3 c.)
Approx. 6 Tbs. Ice water
• Sift flour with salt into a medium to large bowl. Add shortening and "cut" into flour until mixture looks crumbly. Add ice water a couple tablespoons at a time until the dough starts to hold it's shape.
• Now at this point most crust recipes would tell you to refrigerate the dough. I've found that it becomes harder to work with and you don't want to overwork the dough. So I leave it out while I peel my apples and prepare the filling.

The filling:
•Peel and core 4-6 apples, depending on how big the apples are and how packed you want your pie. I slice the apples fairly thin because I like how the tender apples almost melt in my mouth, but if you like a bit more substance or chew to your pie, slice them thicker.

1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 - 1 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2-3 Tbs. flour

•Mix above ingredients.
• Roll out your pie crusts. Keep in mind that you will be making a bottom and top crust, so cut the dough ball in half.
• Once the bottom crust is in the pie plate. Pour half of sugar mixture on the bottom. Place the apples on top of that. Sprinkle remaining sugar mix over apples. To add a little richness, you can slice butter and dot butter across the top of the apples and sugar.
• Put top crust in place, secure the edges.
• Cut a few slit on the top crust.
Optional egg wash:
Beat one egg and with a pastry brush, paint on the egg across entire top crust. Then using approx. a tablespoon of sugar, very finely sprinkle sugar across the middle of the pie, staying away from the edges (they'll burn).

Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until you start to smell the pie and can see the filling bubbling through the crust.

Enjoy!