I’m making apple butter! I pulled out the canning supplies for the first time in years, scrounged up some jars from hither and yon, and heated up the kitchen (albeit during a fierce wave of heat and humidity–if a heat wave can actually last months.)

I first used the McIntosh apples from our backyard tree. It produced like crazy this year and the fruit was ready early. Then I acquired two buckets of Golden Delicious, which I am now processing. They are soft, so easy to cut up with the apple corer, and they cook up so nicely for apple butter. For the Golden Delicious, I have boiled the apple butter down a little more on the stove, after the crock pot cooking was done, for a thicker finished product.

Apple butter made in the crock pot is amazing—smells wonderful, tastes delicious, and Steve has been very appreciate of it. On a biscuit or raisin toast… yum. No need to even peel the apples during the process.

I used my immersion blender {affiliate link} to blend it up after cooking, and an apple slicer {affiliate link} has been marvelous, especially for the Golden Delicious which I mentioned are quite soft.

Farmer’s Market
I’m hoping to sell some jars of apple butter at the Farmer’s Market in a few weeks, too. Since my last post —a Farmer’s Market has appeared in our town! My mom is hosting it every Saturday morning. During the last several weeks of summer, the girls baked items for it every week. Micah sold lemonade (a dream come true for him!) and homemade mint iced tea.

We have also gathered up extra garden produce, herbs, eggs, and toted it over there most weeks. I didn’t need the extra duties to manage (baking in the heat no less!) but the venture has been important to me for two reasons. 1- I want my younger children to have this chance to earn their own money and start to understand the value of a dollar and 2- I want to help bring redemption to our little town. When we all do our small part, it’s part of how Christ is actively redeeming the world.

Pumpkin Patch
The Farmer’s Market will also be a great place to sell some of the beautiful pumpkins we have coming along. The cucumber beetles had me pretty worried for a number of weeks, but we battled valiantly against them (which included using insecticide and this great little sprayer which Steve says is the best one he’s used {affiliate link}), and I tried not to lose too much sleep worrying about losing the whole patch… but I think they will pull through, at least most of them. Our overall yield is going to be down, I think. The beetles are still causing damage as we speak. They did kill my cucumbers and badly damaged my zucchini. Sadly.

Thrifted Decor
This painting is a thrifted find from a local shop, for just a few dollars! It’s an original. I love it and have been enjoying it ever since I happened upon it. Greens and golds are some of my favorites, as well as dogwood trees and country roads.

A Quilt for Autumn
Grandbaby quilt #1 is complete! Is it too lofty a goal to make a baby quilt for each of my future grandbabies? So far I am on track (one down!) but I could see myself perhaps getting behind in the future.

Anyway, here is little Autumn’s quilt! We spent a week with her at the end of July and got in all the cuddles we possibly could. She was of course adored by all.

The vintage Winnie-the-Pooh print is from The Quilted Nursery. I loved it immediately when I saw it (Erin had chosen a Winnie the Pooh theme for Autumn). I added a few other coordinating prints, and enjoyed piecing it all together. It’s not fancy when it comes to quilting, but I do love how it turned out.

Here is little Autumn herself, with her daddy (our second son, Ethan). She is such a sunshine-y and expressive little one!

New Podcast Episode
This new episode features a three-way discussion with our oldest son Joshua.
Unfazed: 6 Unique Ideas to Equip Christian Young People Heading to University
There is even a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card. Listen in for details.

Fridge Pickles
I made two quarts of these refrigerator dill pickles before the beetles desecrated my lovely English-style cucumbers. They are so good; the whole family enjoyed them. I would have made more if the plants had survived. See you next month! 💜