A Roll in the Clay

Apple Picking Time!

Have you ever had a childhood memory that was so lovely you felt it was only right that you shared the experience with your children? Well I do and so I did. Last Sunday I packed up the kids, the hubs (who worked a double shift the day before and was beyond exhausted) my parents and a picnic basket and headed to Tree-Mendus Fruit orchard in Eau Claire, Michigan.

My heart raced as we approached the orchard and I reminisced with my kids how their uncles managed to annoy the mounted orchard cop (no kidding, they had a lady on horseback who monitored all the pickers and caught my brothers scaling trees to get to the highest fruit.) Apples were launched from high places into waiting baskets below. My mom and I were in charge of catching the apples and my dad was in charge of catching the boys.We tend not to follow the rules from time to time. It's a Blackmore thing and keeps life interesting!

Bins full of apples lined the aisles of the orchard's shop.

The orchard shop, where you registered to pick, housed a selection of jams, syrups and coffee mugs in addition to various kitschy items. One wall of the shop, that was off limits to customers, contained an incredible selection of heirloom apples whose beauty was revealed at the sampling counter.

Trays set on the counter contained an assortment of heirloom apples grown at the orchard. Each apple was labeled with it's name and we could pick and choose what we wanted to try.

My girls kept asking to sample and the gentleman behind the counter was a good sport. Fortunate for us we were the first customers that morning so there were no lines.

I wish I could remember the name of this beauty. Have you ever seen one with flesh like this?

After we bought an assortment of heirlooms, we headed out to the orchard with our 3-gallon buckets to start picking. My goal was to accumulate an assortment of tart apples for pie. Lots of pie. So we got to picking until my dad discovered the Honeycrisp. And this is what happened...

 
No more talking or picking. Just relishing every bite.

Funny how time skews your memory. The trees seemed so much bigger 35 years ago, but then I was only six and everything's bigger when you're six. What I remember most about that day and this one was the feeling of pure joy. To be with the ones you love making memories...and eventually, lots of pie.

We're not big fans of the selfie but we figured what the hell. Photo-bomb courtesy of Abigail.

Perhaps someday these two gals will return with their kiddos.