Sunday, September 21, 2008

A Fall Harvest

Grapes... last year was the first time I made grape jelly from scratch, or wait was it. I can't remember. But I did blog it last year. My curling team mate and friend Connie get all these grapes from her mom's back yard. This year, if we wanted grapes, we had to come and do the harvest as Connie's mom has been banned from climbing the ladder to harvest them.

Well, I must say, I have never picked grapes. I have picked a lot of fruits and veggies but never grapes. And actually, my cross the street neighbour has a wild crop each year, that grow threw his trees and this year was the first time I have even seen them growing. Very cool. This morning was Grape HARVESTING morning. We hit the road at 9:30 and landed at Connie's mom's place around 9:40am. We were back in the car with TONS of grapes by 10:30am. I was in awe, first, of Connie's mom. She is teeny tiny, and as beautiful as I thought she would be. I have a special place in my heart for the seniors of the world, and Connie's mom is as bright and clear thinking as my dad. What a gift to have such a healthy parent. Of course, along with bright and healthy comes stubborn and frustration (at getting old). My second awe was the grapes growing all thorough the plum tree. This is the challenge for Connie's mom, because they grow so high up. Her Arbor is loaded as well, but easier to get to. Our job today was to clean out the tree.



We picked the tree as clean as we could, with 5 of us picking, one ladder, two chairs and some scissors. It was a wonderful morning filled with friendship, fresh air and fresh laughter (At Debbie's story of her visit to Lily's) After we picked all we could, we had a little visit with Connie's mom as she picked the grapes on her arbor. She didn't want me to take her picture because she thought she looked too old. I think she looks amazing and beautiful.

5 comments:

ancient one said...

A beautiful post! The photos great. And I agree with you! Your friend's mom is beautiful!

Anonymous said...

What a great day it was. So much fun. I sure hope I am as agile at 93 as Delma is..what a great lady she is and so knowledgeable. We have so much fun together, doesn't take much...just some funny stories and US...wouldn't it be fun to go to Lily's and bring Frankie along...and lots of DEPENDS. Glad you are my friend, you're WONDERFUL. from Your Diamondtologist Friend.

Heather said...

Awesome, I LOVE grapes...my Granny had a couple of vines at her home (she lives with my parents now) and one of my favorite things about this time of year was picking grapes. We went over there a couple of weeks to pick apples and realized there are NO grapes this year :( I am so sad...the house is in the process of being sold so this may have been my last chance to "pick grapes at Granny's"

Unknown said...

That's so cool. I've never experienced grapes on a vine.

GailM. said...

What a fun thing. I love to pick the fruits of the Harvest. I hope the macIntosh apples are out this week. I can't wait to get up in a tree and search for the perfect apples.

I'll take some of that grape jam by the way. :)