Summer's End

I think it's safe to say that summer is officially over.  Today we finally broke down and turned the heat on in our house after I shivered - despite being bundled up - for a good part of the day.  But I don't mind.  I welcome the cozy foggy fall mornings, the changing leaves, the excuse to pull out the sweaters and scarves that have been hanging patiently in my closet....   

It helps that we got more than our fair share of summer.  The entire month of September felt like an extension of August with it's dry and warm (sometimes hot) weather for days on end.  

And my parents came just in time to enjoy those very last days of Fraser Valley summer.  We spent one Sunday afternoon with them at White Rock exploring the tide pools and walking the pier.

Super-Micah takes a flying leap...

While Silas and Keziah approach much more cautiously.

 

Seaweed is fascinating...

...for young and old alike.

And there's nothing like wet, squishy sand between your toes...

...and fingers too.

We stopped to watch a passing train, while Silas exclaimed over and over, "This twain is gonna take foh-wever!!!"

My handsome and serious 7-year-old.

(and his walking stick)

Silas hanging out on the pier.

It was a very relaxing afternoon of wading and walking and gelati eating... ending off with a pre-dinner snack of fish and chips from Moby Dick.  So bad but sooo good.

On another afternoon, we did a more "fall-ish" activity and headed to Willow View Farms to pick some apples.  Of course we first had to pose by the pumpkins and pet the goats.

(Sporting his "Manitoba" shirt from Superstore in honour of Grandpa & Granny's visit.)

Then we headed out to the orchard.

Taste-testing.

Posing.

It was another hot September afternoon.

 And what did we do with all of those apples?

Baked apple pie of course.

Pies don't normally get baked around this house.  It's a phenomenon that only happens when my mom comes to visit.  This time she stocked up my freezer with extra pie dough and some frozen apple pies.

We used the rest of the apples to make applesauce.  We did one batch of strawberry-applesauce using some berries I had in my freezer from earlier this summer.  So easy and so delicious.  I think I'll be heading out to do some more apple picking this fall.  I'm envisioning some peach applesauce to join the rest in my freezer...

Thanks Mom and Dad for a great visit - for being willing to get cozy in this small house for 10 days, hang out with 3 crazy kids and fill my freezer with lots of goodies for the months to come :)