We had the best intentions. We wanted to go apple picking with my sister and the puddles, and thought about pushing it back a bit so we could make sure we could pick
Mutsus. YUM! We did our research, and discussed the pros and cons about going this weekend versus that weekend. In some ways, it turns out it was fortunate we postponed the plans, as Kathleen ended up in the ER on the other Sunday we were considering, with an emergency appendectomy. She's doing well, by the way.
So. Having checked various orchard websites, it appeared that the U-Pick place to go was
Schwallier's (we went there when Maia was a baby, too).
Mutsus were due to pick the Thursday before we went, and Granny Smiths the day before. I used these reasons to convince Ray that he wanted to go with us, particularly since Kath was recovering from surgery, and it'd be nice to have more adults with all those kids, as Kath is on lifting restrictions. So we pile in the car, and head north to the orchard, looking forward to
Mutsus fresh off the tree and cider donuts. So Andrew decided he would go too.
Kath and I went inside to find out where to find the
Mutsus, while the guys and the kids hung out by the goats.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3cLIe9iNbH_v4HeiOHp6gclGD9pi80OS2KWJy_X93HM2m5_YL1dJfuwFC2jld95JJg-SrLa-pqtjXQ2bSYlXA0T1XmiGTXmXZBF8qVcYKaxt4rEIPAyhNdGTc-MCUWwo2oK5phkJk6Z0/s400/DSC_0784.JPG)
We were directed to an elderly, hearing impaired man to ask about picking the
Mutsus, which we were pronouncing "Moo-
tsoo" and he could not figure out what we were talking about. He called over a young woman who turned out to be his granddaughter, and so we asked her. Oh, she said, "
Muh-
tsoos, grandpa!" Well, for all that hassle he could have just told us what she did: Because of the early frost and the way the growing season went... they were no longer doing U-Picks. They'd ended the week before. Did they have
Mutsus in storage for sale? Nope. Not a one. Sigh.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2qi6kW7SH7psCEiAPPNyIi2PH8vgcmg7S9p7faLX_zxDgHWwr0vkNoh1Yny8U__2o4mALIR3Bcnq3Larj-UhdasTH2jFdB06HqQk6DqRjxHk5NHyq4cWhwL9-z8cijTsyV8y9DqVn7Wo/s400/IMG_1209.JPG)
Ah, well. We'll go have some more fun with the kids, and pick out our pumpkins. Let's go!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9vn7YLPbh6gR_8V7fLMPAD7PrERtZi5dX2QD6ILqbwlcB0g2NZQR8uKeJjHt5ni5SZkyfCqucLyZOeq4mVWGOosbKOHctkzmNkv7YGrH0xwmCQSa-ID9tVkk9vfUP4YYUODusLLkyJM8/s400/IMG_1214.JPG)
Hard-of-hearing Grandpa stands in the gift barn and gives free apples to everyone while they stand in line for donuts. So at least Maia was pleased with her apple (which she did NOT want to let go of!) And she searched the pumpkin patch, apple in hand, and found this little green one.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVcjCRIGVUjLUzTR0Fr3O3YAVcEYUmCl_3zc45-YUNeYuaTtbkd2zVarXIDc_UlGylfozEulZ3qqBlc88_vmIREwohd8jAdQ0B5ZxMxIZR9eb4zmYapOE2ouVVvHaFEbccW-HVswGrGK0/s400/DSC_0804.JPG) |
Lydia thought the green ones were cool too. |