When Life Gives You Apricots.....

Make apricot everything. And that, in a nutshell my friends, is how I have spent the greater part of the month of July. And we have ONE apricot tree.

This tree has borne enough fruit to feed a third world country, which I think I may have said before. But now, after over four weeks of bearing fruit (it actually started around July 2), I want to show you the pictures I took today, Thursday, of our tree.

This is the never-ending apricot tree.  WE GIVE UP!!!   Lots of the fruit is too high for us to reach, even with our ladders. We hope the birds are enjoying the high fruit, but much of the lower stuff has yet to even ripen!

And I am running out of room. Today I made an apricot pie at hubby’s request. Yes, the crust is a little overdone (he swears he loves it that way, but it was not intentional. This is the real world, folks, so no perfect pie pictures today).

And in the big freezer downstairs we have frozen apricots (about 19 quarts)

Apricot Jam, picture #1

Apricot Jam, picture 3 (there is a row of strawberry in there too). 

In all I made 10 batches of jam, yielding about 7 pints per batch. We have eaten at least a half dozen this month, and given away more than a dozen. Some of the jam is in special jars (gold lids on hexie bottles that we used to buy our honey in and also in small half-pint jars) and those will be for neighbor gifts at Christmastime.

And we have gorged on fresh apricots, too.  I know my cats think I have neglected them, but every evening I have a lap at the ready for Darla, and Bruce and Alfie do their male bonding thing (sleeping) in the recliner. But Alfie is insisting on some time now, so I am going to turn it over to him......






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HI PEEPLES! IT’S ME, ALFIE, AGAIN.
Oh, I am not supposed to use all caps, am I?  Sometimes I can’t help myself, like when Daddy wants to play. I will roll over on my back and rabbit kick, and when he tries to tickle my tummy, I bite. I can’t help it! Well, it’s only a love nip really, but Dad always says “NOBITE”. I think that means I win and he gives up.  But I have something important to tell you. Over at the Lily Pad Quilting blog, the annual Pets on Quilts contest will be held next month! Just click on the link in the sidebar. Yep, I added it there myself. Really. Well, OK, Mom did it, but only because she got to it before me.....

So this morning Mom decided to start taking pictures of me and Darla. There we were, napping innocently on our bed under the fan (where we let Mom and Dad sleep at night), and Mom comes in snapping pictures. Sheesh.

She started with Darla, so I decided to help her by coaching Darla along. After all,  I am her brother. But I’ll save some time and just relate the conversation as we went along.

Alfie: Smile, Darla!

Darla: like this?

 Alfie: Um.... no. Let’s try something else.

Darla: I know! A full body stretch so they can see my polka dot tummy!

Alfie: That’s much better, but you look rather Diva-ish.
Darla: I AM a diva!
Alfie: Hmmm.... your eyes are so green, and you’re laying near the green section of the quilt...Mom, why not focus on her face?

Darla: I think this is the right combination of sultry and innocent. And green eyes.

Alfie: That’s it! I’m a genius!

And then it was my turn to pose. First we tried this pose of gazing up and off camera. Hmmmm .... too preppy.

And then just a more down-to-earth off-camera gaze. It was good. I’m not on a quilt, but we will have to save that for another day. This will just be my official Pawtrait for my fan club.

So, that’s about it for now. I hope you have enjoyed my post for today. Well, I’m The Cat, so how could you NOT????  This is Alfie, signing off.......

*wink wink*

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