How ya like them apples?

Sundays are our one family day together so we try to make a point of going somewhere whether that be a hike on Mount Tamalpais, or checking out a local so state park or just BBQing in Tilden Park. It always feels like a waste of a Sunday if we just laze around the apartment. This Sunday I woke up, turned to Rob in bed and said "It's September. I want to pick apples today." I have no idea why this suddenly had to happen since I've never actually picked apples, September or otherwise. But for whatever reason, it was non-negotiable. I did a quick internet search and found a grass-fed beef farm in Petaluma called Chileno Valley Ranch (about an hour from us) that also happens to have a U-Pick apple orchard during the months of September and October. On Sundays only. Ba-duh-bing! We packed up and drove out only to get lost way too many times. Seriously, it was just one of those days. We probably doubled our drive time. But anyway, we finally made it to the ranch in time to pick the apples.

 

 

 



Almost as an afterthought the owners warned us about yellow jackets but as you can see, they were no afterthought. About a third of the apples were demolished by the bees but it wasn't really a big deal considering the branches were LOADED with fruit.

 

 

Ophelia wasn't all that interested in actually picking the fruit however dropping it into the bag was a favorite. The of course we showed her the cows (and chickens) and she mooed happily for the rest of the harvest.

 

 

 

 



 

 

In all we picked about 12 lbs of fruit, even throwing in some of their Asian pears. The bag was about twice as full as this picture when we were done. Of all people, Rob couldn't stop talking about how amazing it was, how great of a deal the apples were and how we should come back in the next couple of weeks for more apples. It didn't take me very long to figure out he'd scheming to make some hard apple cider. He tried a batch with store apple juice a few months back and it was pretty dismal. He says he's worked out the kink in the recipe and just needs to try again. In theory I'm all for this. I'm a huge cider fan. But if we buy fifty bucks worth of apples and it flops again it will be a pretty expensive mistake. Guess I don't have much say in it though...

 

 

 

I think we'll be using these apples to make some delicious apple sauce for our applesauce-loving baby. I can't say I've actually made it before but it's gotta be delicious...it's homemade!

 

 

Well folks, it's official. Fall is here and I'm loving it!

 

xoxo

 

Mama Macgyver



I'm feeling felty!

So I'm going a little bit crazy at the moment. It's one week into the fall semester and I don't have a teaching placement yet. I'll spare you the tedious details but essentially this means that the lesson plans I should have two weeks to create will have to be done in one week...or less! This, of course, is driving me batty. If worrying were an Olympic sport I would surely medal. So I'm trying to distract myself in the meantime by thinking of a few projects to finish up before I'm totally swamped with classroom hours and backbreaking coursework. That brings me to my felt garlands! To say I have an obsession with felt would be putting it lightly. Felt is the perfect material for every crafting task: it's the perfect combination of kitsch and versatility! For the past 2 1/2 years I've been working on felt garlands for each holiday. I sort of go in waves with this long-term project. I'll get on a roll with one holiday, finish that garland and then get all excited to start on the next one only to get halfway through and then abandon the project until the next year. I'm usually pretty annoyed with myself when I don't finish a project but for some reason I'm pretty easy going about these and willing to let them drag on for years. I guess I see the garlands as something that I hope will become a fixture in our family holidays, something Ophelia will look back on or see in photos and remember there being a special garland for every holiday. So who cares if it takes me years to make the whole set? Heck, I'll probably start inventing holidays to make garlands for eventually. A nice garland of dentures for Grandparents Day? Staplers for Administrative Professionals Day? No?

It all started with this Easter garland.

 

Next were the hearts for Valentines Day. They're currently in a knotty mess since I didn't properly store them after last Valentine's Day (tsk tsk) so just pretend they're very neatly arranged. I loved them so much that I hung them in Ophelia's nursery when she was first born. She was a February baby, after all!

I made these mustaches last Father's Day. It took a me and a friend days to come up with an icon to represent dads that wasn't neckties! Down with classist representations! (snort)

Most recently I whipped up these Fourth of July stars.

And now we're on to these puppies!

Last fall I started working on an autumn leaves garland. Not a holiday per say, but it seems like a crying shame to go from Fourth of July to Halloween without a garland change. I've done most of the blanket stitching around the leaves but I'd like to do a handful more to really fill out the whole string. I'll post a completed picture of the garland hopefully within the next week.

I'm going to warn you now that even though it's technically still summer, you're about to get inundated with craft, sewing and baking posts for fall. September always sets me off on this mad dash to get in as many autumn-related festivities as possible before Christmas. So I hope you won't get too annoyed if I post 75 pumpkin recipes in the next couple of weeks. Just kidding. Sort of.

xo

Mama MacGyver

Introductions are in order!

Hello everyone! I am the Mama McGyver but you may call me Jennifer.



 



I'm creating this blog to have a place to showcase my creations, be they sewing, writing or cooking related. And let's be honest, I'm a sucker for another project so that's also what this blog is about. I live in Oakland, California in the super sweet neighborhood of Lake Merritt. I live here with my husband, Rob




Yeah, he's a home-brewer. And a home-babymaker. It's all pretty sexy.


 

And our daughter, Ophelia.

 



I make things like this

 

 

And this

 

 

And recently, like this

 

 

 

 

I'm currently working on a 365-day sewing challenge, of which I'll fill you in on the details in my next post. Be prepared to read about me swooning over fabric and sewing patterns and enjoy more pictures of me posing awkwardly in my hand sewn garments.

 

 

Until next time!

 

Mama MacGyver