Picking Apples in the Front Yard

A beautiful day to pick apples in the front yard. Both Bennett and Lettie enjoyed picking and eating the apples - Lettie especially liked to taste one bite from each apple - a true sampler! I have yet to figure out what variety we have but we definitely have two distinct types of apples: smaller red apples that are sweet and larger green apples that are much more tart but turn red as the weather cools and become sweeter. Also an interesting note, the smaller apples maintain the white color of the flesh when peeled and sliced where the green apples brown almost immediately upon removing the skin. We were able to collect one paper bag full and peeled/sliced the apples for the freezer. Later, we will make apple sauce and apple bread. The tree in the front lawn was so heavy with apples a main branch snapped and crashed down by the trampoline. We will probably have to trim the apple trees next year so that all the branches don't break. I'd also like to try growing other fruit trees: plum, cherry and pear. Speaking of growing....

My garden was a total loser this year (except the grape tomatoes which I bought as a plant and put in the garden) and I can only blame myself. I didn't spend as much time as I needed to keep the weeds at bay and they completely took over. I take that back....the radishes grew but also bloomed flowers before I harvested them and by that time the root was dehydrated. Also, the peas and beans flowered and started to grow but I think the deer/rabbits ate them all because I didn't spray my "Deer Fence" often enough. I just stunk at gardening this year. Next year I need to move the garden closer to the house. This way I can be weeding while Lettie and Bennett play in the sandbox/tree house and I can keep an eye on them. I originally put the garden at the front of the property on the other side of the pine trees thinking this would keep it from being an eyesore during the off months. Which is true...I can't see all the weeds growing/decaying....but, 'out of sight out of mind' is the truest phrase in town! I never went out there! All that time/energy/money and I am doing it a dishonor. I pledge to do better next year.