Life in Wales

[gerisullivan]

I've often said I'm slow to settle into a place. But I think the evidence is mounting that I've settled into Wales.

This afternoon, I walked up to the post office with more than the monthly bills to be mailed. I carried 1.5 quarts of apple cider I pressed just yesterday, and a short stack of plastic drink cups. The guy who does the public access TV show was just getting into his car as I arrived. "You're leaving two minutes too early," I told him. "I'm just taking fresh cider inside."

He thanked me for a glass right there in the parking lot, said he knew a place I could get free apples if I wanted to press more, and mentioned making peach jelly earlier this year.

There were two customers already inside -- it was just a few minutes before closing, which is pretty much the only time you can find anything resembling a rush there. The man buying stamps was delighted to accept a glass of cider, and the woman behind him thought a half-glass sounded good, too. I poured another glass for an elderly woman who came in to pick up a package, and finally handed the rest of the cider to Jan, the Postmaster. I'd been pouring it so fast that I was beginning to fear there wouldn't be any left for her or the other postal employees!

Later, I took another 1.5 quarts of cider and more cups along with me to the Wales Public Library. I was there to show Nancy, the librarian, the signs I'd made for the new book return box they're putting out front. Yep, she agreed that they're great, so I headed up to the Staples in Sturbridge to have them laminated. Nancy and I talked more when I dropped the laminated signs off on my way home. I enjoyed working with her, and hope to help the library further in the future.

While all of these small things are completely in character for me, they're also unique. Each was something new, that I've never done before. Better yet, each was fun. Win-win.

I still have most of two gallons of cider in my fridge. Picking the apples and making it yesterday was another of the fun, new things. (Okay, I had picked apples before, but never in New Hampshire....)

Comments

YUP

[(Anonymous)]

Why I love living in a small town. YUP.

Jane

[bugshaw.livejournal.com]

This won't be the 5% alcohol stuff I think of as "cider"?

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

Not yet, it isn't.

Last year, Joe and Edie gave me a 2-litre bottle of the stuff that I didn't finish drinking before it started to ferment. I think it was well over 5% by the time I attempted to send the last of it down the drain and instead ended up coating myself and my kitchen in fermented cider.

[marsgov.livejournal.com]

You're making me thirsty.

[marsgov.livejournal.com]

And somewhat jealous...

I think I will have to figure out a way to visit you someday.

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

I like that idea. You and your family are most welcome here whenever you can make it work.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

You're such a sweetheart! How far did you drive to pick apples in New Hampshire. It sounds so exotic to these Left Coast ears.

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

I was already at Mark and nesfan's. It was another 70 miles from there, so most of 120 miles from home.

There's an orchard just up on Haynes Hill Road here in Wales. My sister and I went to an apple festival there a couple of years ago. That was good fun, too, if in a different way.

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

Haralsons were in when we went shopping last night. But I don't have my own cider press, so the drinking cider isn't from anything so special I don't think (not labeled as to variety, but locally produced at least).

[maruad.livejournal.com]

Have you thought of planting your own apple tree? They are very hardy and I would surprised if you couldn't find a decent variety for your climate.

We have a large tree in the back and most years get more apples than we can deal with. This year was an exception. A combination of worms (they ate all the leaves off the tree) and a shortage of bees gave us our 1st year without apples.

In Manitoba there is a variety developed by the agriculture research station in Morden. I cannot remember the name of the variety but the apples are firm, large and have a clean tart flavour. They are the best for making apple pie. The only drawback is they bruise very easily and the flesh will turn brown in minutes so you need to eat/freeze them quickly.

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

I'd have to be a lot more into apples than i am to want a tree. Then again, I expected I'd always be plaqued by worms and other problems, and would probably get little yield from a tree. And if I ever had a bumper crop, that would be the year I was gone for a month in the autumn and all the apples would end up being mush on the ground.

Who, me, cynical? About my gardening skills, yes.

[don-fitch.livejournal.com]

I've been told that the varieties of yeast commonly used to make Sherry wine work well when added to apple juice, but the handling process after that addition is a bit complicated. On the other hand, uncle George, on the farm near Adrian MI, did something interesting (that aunt Peggy and we kids weren't supposed to know about) involving kegs of apple juice set outside in the winter -- apparently it involved drinking the part that didn't freeze.

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

I already had a fermented apple shower last year, and that was without adding any yeast at all. I think I'll steer clear of the whole home-brewing thing.

Good to hear from you, as always! And to hear names of Michigan towns so familiar from my own childhood, too.