October 14, 2006
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Happy William Penn’s Birthday!
Yes, in 1644 on October 14th, William Penn, the quintessential Quaker, the patriarch of Pennsylvania, was born.
Today my mom, Libby, and I made four apple pies. Someone gave her a bunch of tiny apples, and we spent a while paring them. (They more than I since I was visiting my grandma for part of the paring.) We baked two pies and froze two. It’s amazing how much more quickly pie making goes by using those premade pie crusts. I’ve always made my own. I’ll reserve judgement on the crusts until I’ve had a taste, which will be as soon as I finish this blog entry.I finished the book on Captain Cook and spent the night dreaming of explorers and exploring. It also gave me a mad desire to watch twelve hours of Horatio Hornblower, which I have not yet done. As a matter of fact, I think I loaned the DVDs to someone! Aaah! Must track down the viewer…
TGD was wildly industrious when we got home from my mom’s. The house was cleaned, grass was mown and trimmed, jack-o-lanterns carved, bike seats lowered, and more! He knows how to get this crew of kids working efficiently, and he even gutted the pumpkins himself, slimy job that it is. These pumpkins are Michael’s dearly-beloved monster ones which he grew from seeds. Here’s Michael with the pumpkins. He’s rather judgemental of the other pumpkins he sees, disdainfully commenting, “Puny.”
And here are our new jack-o-lanterns. As I looked at them, I thought
of the folks in England who used to make jack-o-lanterns out of
turnips.
Oh!—fruit loved of boyhood!—the old days recalling,
When wood-grapes were purpling and brown nuts were falling!
When wild, ugly faces we carved in its skin,
Glaring out through the dark with a candle within!John Greenleaf Whittier ~ 1850
Comments (11)
Sounds like a wonderful weekend full of fallish activities. I love those jack-o-lanterns! Hope the pies tasted good- my mouth is watering. I did not know you were into Hornblower too! We LOVE those– but we did not borrow them. Someday perhaps we could???
Michael, the proud papa, I see.
Michael has much to be proud of! Oh, I LOVE fall! We spent the day watching soccer games sipping on hot chocolate! Yay!! Have a wonderful Lord’s Day!
What great jack-o-latterns, those pumpkins are huge. Apple pie sounds good, I think I’ll make one tomorrow!
Oh yeah and it will be with the pre-maid crust, it’s just as good, if not better!
Ah, Horatio Hornblower! A sensational watch, indeed!
Well, now i see what michael was talking about when he dubbed my pumpkin “tiny” which, compared to his giants, it most certainly is!
oh well, i carry on the turnip tradition with my puny pumpkin, it’s just the size of a large turnip!
Pumpkins, peanuts and chocolate were all products of the New World, weren’t they? Those are great pumpkins. Sextus persuaded me to try growing those things too. Our vine set one fruit before it died. I don’t think it’s quite as large or regularly shaped as Michael’s are! I also grew Martha Stewart’s pie pumpkins, and those vines fared better, though I think I should have fertilized more. William Penn is one of the few historical names that I remember. I think I remember him because I always picture the Quaker on Quaker Oats. Pennsylvania literally means “Penn’s woods” doesn’t it? It’s a beautiful state.
So did you have something specific in mind for this springtrip?
Sounds like you should leave the house more often……
Thanks for the cheer!! Tell Michael the pumpkins look super-sized and are very well-grown. My grandparents once grew pumpkins for Megan and me, but I’m afraid Michael would have deemed them as being quite “puny.”
Those refrigerated crusts are awesome! Even my grandmother used them for years before she passed away (I wonder if she still uses them?
) and everyone always raved about them! Did you like them?