I am in receipt of a press release from the Martha Wagbo Farm and Education Center that makes me want to clear all my October weekends in order to do everything they have on offer.
First up is the Bike Repair Workshop. Rob the Firefighter bought me a bicycle and I love it, but I have never figured out how to use the gears effectively. I pedal around the neighborhood, riding blissfully along on the flat bits and the downhill bits, and getting off the bicycle and walking up hills. I know, I know, but that’s the way it is. So I figure if I go over to Wagbo with the bicycle and beg for instruction from an adolescent I might make some progress. Besides, there’s a potluck, and you know how I feel about Antrim County cooks.
Then there’s the paddle on the Jordan River in search of Highbush Cranberries and Wild Ginger. I can do that! I can paddle the little blue kayak just fine. And if I come home with wild treats, so much the better. This photo is not real recent and not very good, and it’s on the Boyne River, but it is of me, and it is the little blue kayak!
The next weekend they’re going to make lemonade. OK, not really. Here’s the deal. We are infested with the aggressively invasive autumn olive in these parts. However, it turns out that autumn olive berries are tasty and nutritious. So we are going to find ’em, identify ’em, gather ’em and eat ’em. See, I think we can get lots of invasive stuff under control if we can just figure out a way to eat it. Or get our dogs to eat it, in the case of Asian Carp. This is right up my alley.
Finally, there will be a community apple pressing. I am a big advocate of doing this stuff in a group. There are lots of people to help me and they will keep me from actually injuring myself as I pursue the homely arts, along the lines of the apricot canning event. And then I get to come home with sweet cider. I love apple cider. And I would not put it past me to set aside one jug for the purpose of making applejack. (This is not part of Wagbo’s instruction, but I have a wonderful memory of the applejack made by Billy Brooks’s father a hundred years ago or so, and I would be willing to devote a lot of time to figuring out how to make something that delicious.)
Now I just have to go get some chicken soup and a fresh box of tissues. I’ve pretty much decided that my problem is not a bad cold but ferocious allergies. Either way, chicken soup is bound to help, don’t you think?
OK, I went out and came back and as you have probably guessed that is not chicken soup. That is vegetable beef soup with barley from the cafe at Sonny’s. Michelle made it, and she says it will knock out whatever ails me, especially if I add just a dash of cayenne pepper. I took my allergy tablets and I’m going to drink tea and read more of Waiting for the Morning Train and use the tissues to best advantage. And eat the Gala slices and the blue corn chips. No, they are not spoiled.
Meanwhile, there is a nice intern over at Wagbo named Maria Wesserle, and you can ask her all about the October events if you call 231-536-0333. You can also read the entire press release on the Wagbo blog.
Torch Lake Views 
Wendi
September 24, 2010
Feel better Gerry! That soup looks really good!
Gerry
September 24, 2010
I will, someday. The soup was good–today! Bless the soup.
P.j. grath
September 24, 2010
Rats! I lost the comment I tried unsuccessfully to leave earlier. Will be briefer this time but just want to say–yes, good soup, good apples (my favorite this year), and I hope for both of us and others, too, that our kayaks and canoes, etc. will have a chance to hit the water on a few golden autumn days.
Gerry
September 24, 2010
I am so sorry about the WP/Blogger nonsense, but very glad you persisted. Maybe we can kayak out into the Bay and meet for a picnic in the middle . . . OK, maybe that’s too ambitious.
giiid
September 25, 2010
Too bad that you have allergies to disturb you. Have you any idea about what it is caused by? Hopefully something that can be removed. We have several allergies in this house, I know all about how irritating it is, especially if one doesn´t know where the sinner is hiding. God bedring Gerry.
Gerry
September 25, 2010
Thank you, Birgitte. I am in denial about allergies, as I suspect that they may include, um, furry roommates. But the only time it’s a big deal is a couple of days in the spring and a week or two in the fall. It’s the cumulative effect of all those molds and mildews and weeds and pollens – and animal dander. The rest of the year is fine. But I do whine something awful during the not-fine part, don’t I!
P.j. grath
September 25, 2010
Okay, I’m back, having remembered another bit from the comment that got lost. I was going to tell you that we always call beef barley soup “barf beely,” following the example of a waitress long ago at the Bluebird in Leland. We like barf beely! It’s an affectionate name.
As for allergies, can you believe Sarah has them? A dog with allergies? In Florida she got runny eyes for a few days when the live oak pollen was drifting around, and now she has itchy toes from something going on this time of year with the grass. Does not slow her down, however, and since she’s with me practically 24/7 I can put cream on her feet and make sure she’s not licking it off.
May your allergic reactions be gone with the wind! But no, I don’t think we’ll meet in the middle of Grand Traverse Bay, Gerry! I’m too chicken for that.
Gerry
September 27, 2010
I’m pretty sure I like barf beely too, although I might hesitate to recommend it as comfort food. I can definitely believe Sarah has allergies. Puss has ’em, too, and they got so bad earlier in the summer that they caused a bad lung infection and she had to have antibiotics. Giving even a sick kitty antibiotics is not something I want to do ever again. I’m pretty much healed up though.
The Cowboy has itchy toes, too, but that is because he has been romping about in the underbrush and filled his curly foot-fur with pickers. Serves him right.