Of sealing wax...and other things...

Two weeks ago (how long ago that seems) I went home for an off-campus weekend. I get one of these a month and this month I went home to see the family (last OCW I visited Fr. Ed and the Awesome friends of A2 with Mark) out on the farm. Fall was past her prime, but I still took some pictures of the farm to share with you that still show the remnants of the fading glory of the woods on the country roads of Strotheide and Ashley. Hope you enjoy the photo post!
I always enjoy coming home in the fall. Nothing makes me long for home more than that changing of the leaves in Autumn...for I know that heralds the Harvest, Apple Pie, Cider, the musty smell of the decaying leaves and the cool, usually moist weather that is perfect for a long walk in the woods, followed by a hot shower, a steaming mug of spiced cherry wine, and a good book to curl up with by the fire.

Speaking of fires...Here is a new one by me (and all my family...and maybe you too!). When I went home, the house was cold and there was no fire. The reason, as my father explained to me, was that he had tried to make a fire in the stove earlier, but had to give up because the smoke refused to go up the chimney. Perplexed, my dad scaled the roof of the house to the top of the chimney and looked down the flue with a flashlight. There...plugging the flue, was a nest of bees, completely filling the flue. To make matters worse...they are honey bees and a probe of the nest (its too cold for them to be active now) revealed that the chimney was filled with their summer's labor...honey...four feet deep! So...no fires until we get that cleaned up...and that will happen when I go home for Thanksgiving break (a farmboy's work is never done it seems)!!!
Apples are coming in a plenty, and it is a bountiful harvest this year! In fact we have so many, we have been scrambling to find enough boxes in which to put them all! They are full of flavor this year too...as I found out when I took a walk with my sister, Maura (who strikes a glamour pose to the right), and picked one fresh off the tree...you have never tasted an apple until you eat it right off the tree (well, pick it then eat it).

So...from Detroit Michigan, this is Brendan...wishing you all a blessed Feast of All Saints! Over and out.