We had thought to go on a hike this morning to enjoy the gorgeous fall weather, but then Sarah remembered she had volleyball games with the Young Women in the ward so I headed out into the yard to see what needed doing. Nuts needed doing. When I landscaped our yard 15 years ago, I decided to plant some food storage. In addition to a variety of fruit trees and bushes, I planted two filbert trees and a walnut tree. My thinking was that in times of need they would be a good source of protein and perhaps something us gatherers could trade with those hunters. Sarah, who gathered the filberts, thinks these nuts are a good match with the color of her hair.
As the walnuts have fallen over the past few weeks we have piled them under the tree. Today I pulled off the dried brown (hard to do) or green husks (much easier). Joel and Will helped by kicking the soccer ball into the tree which brought done even more nuts.
We added a few acorns and horse chestnuts to the mix of nuts.
We will dry the husked nuts on the front porch and then in a month or two I plan to shell them and bag them for future use. I have done the husking and drying before, but have never gotten around to shelling them. This time I will be sure to do it. I will then try to introduce walnuts into the non-walnut liking diet of the other members of this household. Sarah is excited to try making candied walnuts for Christmas (to give to others) so there is hope.
A few walnuts still in thier husk that missed the falling kicks of the soccer ball.
Our two year old Autumn blaze maple has been a colorful replacement to the globe willow.
Garden harvested Halloween/Fall/Thanksgiving decor.
Nature's bouquet
Sarah's bouquet.
Yesterday the kids were out of school so Marie took them to a pumpkin patch. Will sure knows how to strike a pose.
This afternoon we joined with some of the BYU Jerusalem Center students from Fall 2009 to watch a wonderful National Geographic Imax film about Jerusalem. The photography was amazing. Also nice was using three teenage girls (Christian, Muslim and Jew) as the lens by which the attachment of all three peoples to the city was explained. Made me homesick.
To view the trailer Click here