More grapes!

I thought when I picked the first grapes that this vine wouldn't have as many. Wrong. Not only did I seem to have as many but they were bigger and juicier..
Here is my canner full again. I worked all afternoon to get them done.
These two pictures are both the same bunch of grapes. They are really ripe. See how some of them have the skins split. In fact some were dropping off as I picked them.
I decided I had made enough jelly. So this time I made grape juice. I had 7 quart jars and 3 pints. I think I will drink grape juice for breakfast for awhile instead of buying juice. It smelled so good. And no, Jimmy, I didn't want to make wine. I never acquired a taste for wine. I tastes to me like something that has spoiled and needs to be dumped in the garbage. Sorry! To each his own.

I did all this work this afternoon. This morning, Wendell's group, Keystone Bluegrass Express performed in Hamburg. They had their yearly celebration of Hamburger Days. They had the stage set up on Third Street. We had an hour. They had other things going on ,on other streets and I forgot to take my camera! They had all sorts of crafts, a hamburger eating contest etc. As soon as our part was finished, I came home, changed clothes and started on my grapes. I am so glad I have that done. I have heard that grapes are sweeter and nicer if we have dry weather. They should be top quality, since it has been dry. We did have a half inch rain last night, but we need more. I should say, since this is PA Dutch country, Betty and I did the "Schnitzelbank" song. It has about 12 or more verses in Dutch and most of the older folks know it and sing along.

Grapes, grapes, grapes!

I decided my grapes were ready for picking. I tasted one every other day, to see if they were just right. You see the leaves are chwed up some. We had a bad infestation of Japanese beetles, but they are gone now. Probably to reappear next year.
I had some really nice big bunches. I held a bunch with one hand and took the picture with the other. As you can see I didn't get the whole bunch on the pic.
These were all from one vine. There is another vine, a different kind, but still they taste like Concord. They weren't bothered by the beetles as much and they are usually bigger than this vine, but they taste the same. I picked them Friday afternoon and put them in the frig.

This is the end product. It was an all day project. After my morning walk I started. I had to wash them, pick them off the stems, crush them, and then simmer them, put them in a cloth draped over my container and drain the juice out. I had enough grapes for three batches. All total there are 23 regular size jellies and three jars that are 12 ounce jars. It was a big job and took me all day. I'm glad I have it finished. I will probably use the grapes from the other vine to make grape juice to can. I love home made grape juice. It is the best.

Yoder Reunion week end

These pictures are not in order! Saturday night Toot, Sis and I visited Mabel Stayrook. She was my mother's cousin . Mabel's father Reuben Stayrook was a brother to my grandmother Sara Stayrook Yoder (wife of Sam T. Yoder). Mabel is 90 years old, lives by herself since her two sisters died. When we got there she was playing Scrabble with herself. That way she always wins! She was a joy to visit. She is a talker and we enjoyed our visit. This was taken at the reunion on Sunday held a Derry Township Park. These were my cousins and their families. The children of Danny Lee, brother of my father, also children of Jake younger brother of my Daddy. I the foreground on the right, facing away from camera is Danny Lee, son of Marlin(he was named for his grandfather). Then my cousin Glen (son of Jake), then Joe, son of Danny Lee (the elder). Some of the wives are in the background.
This is me with my oldest cousin, Danny, son of Dan (Grandpa's brother) Danny was 86 years old on the 16th and I was 80 on the 15th. His brother Joe is in the background.
One of the little great grandchildren. Notice the red hair! There were several others with red hair too.
This is the Filsons. Miles, Jenny, Daane, and Coleton. They were all at the reunion. Miles will be leaving in September for further training in Mississippi. He is a Warrant Officer and will be deployed in January.
Saturday night we also visited my cousin Nancy. She is the only daughter of my mother's only brother Jake. She lives in Valley View in one of the cottages. She was married to Marv's brother Lester and has been a widow quite a while. She usually is the one I get the put the markings on my quilts for me to quilt.

Back to the reunion . This is Toot talking to my cousin Glenn, he is the oldest son of my Uncle Jake, my Daddy's youngest brother. Glenn is a vet of the Viet Nam war. By the way, I had two Uncle Jakes. My mother and my Daddy each had a brother Jake.
The one in pink is Danny's daughter Andrea. Danny and Lois have four children. She is talking with Joe and Beverly's daughter Peggy.
This is Danny and Lois's son Stanley, unmarried and a geneology enthusiast. Some more of the attendees. In the foreground is Marlin, the middle son of Dan and Elsie, my Daddy's oldest bother. The man beside him is Andrea's husband. Amy the daughter of Marlin and Dorothy had games for the children. I should have taken more pictures, but I surely enjoyed seeing my cousins. Some of them I only see at reunion time.

Old Time Plow Boys

The Keystone Bluegrass Express was scheduled to sing at this event, but it got rained out. We were scheduled for 3 P.M., but they had a bad storm with hail and decided to close down. By the time we got there after two, people were leaving and it was no longer raining. In the back row is Kay Davis, Betty Naftzinger, me, Donna Davis. Front row is Laura Rentschler, Eric Zimmerman, and Wendell, our leader.
Another "shot" of the group. Wendell wanted pictires for on a business card.
This event is held every year at the Heritage Center in Kutztown. They have this barn, a one room school house, an old farm house etc.
This picture was taken behind the barn with our instruments. Betty with her twelve string guitar, Eric with his fiddle, Laura with her mandolin (she also plays fiddle), me with my guitar, Wendell with his banjo, Kay with her auto harp (she also plays the spoons) and Donna with the bass. Donna also plays fiddle, whistle, mandolin and plays organ and is choir director (paid position) at the Methodist Church in Hamburg.

Some of the tractors that hadn't been taken out yet. I think this one has a corn picker attached.
Nothing "runs like a Deere". An old John Deere and a newer one.
Many more tractors.
This is an old hay loader- before before the days of balers. Hay was raked together in rows and this loader picked up the hay and dropped it on the wagon. This was a big improvement from when a man walked on either side of the wagon with a pitchfork and forked it on the wagon.
Another picture of the group.

Corn and flowers

I ordered two dozen ears of corn from the Phillips' at church. I always say Larry can't count because I always end up with more then 24. I think I had 28 or 29. I husked and cleaned it on my deck

After it was cleaned it looked like this. I had no one to take my picture as I was cutting it off, after blanching of course.
This is where it ended up. Ten pints in my freezer. I was tired, but happy to have it in my freezer. I just had to take a picture of my hibiscus. It is the Hawaii state flower, only this one is able to withstand our PA winters. The stalks are just loaded with buds.

I had to show another pic of my dwarf sunflower. You see it has four blooms on one stalk.

Baseball etc

A great night for baseball at the Reading Phillies last night. I went early, so I could park close and wouldn't have to walk several blocks to my car in the dark. The night at the game was provided by Matt and Cherie as a Christmas gift. The gates don't open until 6. This picture was taken from across the street in the parking lot about 5:30. There was a whole "sea of people" by 6 when the gates opened. I waited outside until Matt and Cherie came then we all went in together.

This was baseball cap give away night. Every one got a Reading Phillies baseball cap as we entered. I had to wear it to show. The stadium had a lot of folks wearing their Phillies hats.

We got a lady nearby to take our pictures- in our hats. Can you see we are enjoying ourselves? Part of the park and the game in progress. Red hats all around!
Another picture from our seat. We were seated behind home plate in general admission. It was a pretty good location. Being a Monday night there were empty seats, but they always announce the attendance and it was over 4000.

We didn't stay until the very end. It went into extra innings, tied at five and in the eleventh inning we were all tired and decided we were going. As we left the stadium, we were handed free tickets for a WaWa coffee. Every time the game goes more than nine innings because of a tie, WaWa gives free tickets for a drink of coffee.
More of the red hats!After work today, I went to Sam's. He had called and said he had more peaches. I had gotten some earlier and with what I did tonight, I now have 21 jars. What do I want with that many? I need it to give away!

Rainbow, furniture, and anniversary

I don't know why this rainbow picture is small. I love rainbows and we had this giant one after the rain last evening,
Andy asked me to take a picture of the new love seat that you children bought for my birthday. I appreciate your kindness and thank you all. Now you need to come visit me and I will let you sit on it! I also bought a new lamp for beside my recliner where I like to sit to do knitting. I haven't had much time to knit recently. My flowers outside keep needing weeded.
This afternoon, I attended the 65th anniversary celebration for Nick and Verna Kopicz. Carol and her husband are on the left, Bruce and his wife are next, then Richard and his wife and at the end is Leonard and his wife. I talked to each one of them and they were asking about you kids, especially Leonard and Carol.

This is Carol and her family. I took this especially for you, Toot, since Carol was in the same class as you.