A surprise at the old garden gate. A bird I had never seen before.
A Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) heading south for the winter. Destination Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America.
Delighted I happened to see it.
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Hi All! I dug through my posts this afternoon looking for one that I did a long time ago. I was surprised to find that I did my apple pie post clear back in 2013. It pleased me to see what I wrote and I’m thinking and hoping that you might enjoy seeing it again too.
Apple Pie Made With Lots Of Love
Mom’s Family
I grew up with apple pies. Lots of other pies too, but the standout memory is apple pies. My Mom is Pennsylvania Dutch, which, in my mind, means she is a terrific cook, but most of all a terrific pie baker. She tells me of falling asleep in her grandparent’s dining room, while all the adults sat around the table speaking German, a language she didn’t learn. Interesting to me — these family members had been in America for 300 years but still spoke their German.
The Pie Connection
Mom also tells me of her grandmother baking many, many pies at the end of each week, so that the hard working family would have pies to last throughout the coming week. They would be set aside in a pie safe. Years ago I found a pie safe at an antique shop in Leesburg, Virginia. I was told that the pie safe had come from York, Pennsylvania. My son now has that pie safe. We used to keep our stereo equipment in it. I don’t know what he stores in it now, but I doubt it is pies!
Carrying On The Tradition
Now both my son and I are pie bakers. I make crust from scratch all the time. I think he makes crust from scratch some of the time. But I think we both do a super job! Apple Pie? A must for me, is to use McIntosh apples. Their flavor just can’t be beat. Some say the apple, when cooked turns to mush. I say, “Who cares?!!” It just plain makes a scrumptious pie!
A New Ingredient
I learned to add a new ingredient, on my first visit with my husband’s grandmother, when we moved to New Mexico. She added a touch of salt to her apple pies. I’ve used that touch of salt ever since.
Mom’s Recipe With The Added New Mexico Ingredient
One unbaked 9 inch pie crust
6 medium sized apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 2 inch pieces (or the size that you prefer), place in pie crust
Cream together flour, sugar, butter, salt and cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of chopped apples. Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Turn oven temperature down to 375 degrees, and continue baking for 45 more minutes. Let pie cool or serve warm topped with homemade vanilla ice cream.
Thanks Mom, for the recipe and for the heritage!
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Pincushion Moss (Leucobryum glaucum) provides a soft landing spot for a leaf of Red Maple (Acer rubrum).
This moss can be found in many spots around the globe. In North America it’s found in the eastern and northern US and further north into Canada. In Europe it’s found in the United Kingdom and Ireland to Scandinavia and central European countries. It’s also found in China, Korea, and Japan.
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The remains of Hurricane Helene came through with her wind and rain, leaving many branches and some trees down on the mountain. Nothing serious thank goodness and how nice to have neighbors that travel with a chain saw in their truck. Many of those branches and trees were taken care of before it was even known that the road was blocked.
This picture is of American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) branches that came down during the event. Loaded with many Persimmons just waiting to be discovered by the Black Bears (Ursus americanus) around here that love those fruits to gobble down.
There’s a pile of bear scat on our lane as a testament to their consumption.
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Looking to me like a Yorkshire Terrier dressed for Halloween, this is actually a Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillar (Euchaetes egle), out and about in late summer and now, early autumn. These larvae principally choose Milkweed (Asclepias) or Dogbane (Apocynum) as their host plants.
Not to be of concern though. These caterpillars generally go for older plants which are more tough, for their meals. Monarch caterpillars will choose more tender, younger plants to sustain themselves.
The Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillars might leave the Milkweed plants looking a bit bedraggled but those plants will survive to sprout up again next year, for another year of supporting Monarchs and these Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillars.
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A picture taken here on the lane, last year (November 16, 2023) as the Sugar Maple leaves (Acer saccharum) were at their most brilliant.
Much to look forward to.
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Lesser Maple Spanworm (Speranza pustularia) with a wingspan of 3/4 to 1 inch.
Their favorite host plant is Red Maple but will settle for other Maple trees, and many others trees like Birch, Poplar, Fir, and Hemlock.
This moth can be found in the United States east of the Great Plains and in adjacent Canadian provinces.
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Unicorn Caterpillar (Coelodasys unicornis)
Caterpillars are amazing creatures that take on all sorts of shapes and colors. This one, of course, takes its name because of its unique shape.
They’re not particular about what they eat, munching on the leaves of a variety of woody ornamental plants such as apple, cherry, and rose.
The Unicorn Caterpillar becomes a dark gray and brown moth.
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The Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) is the largest butterfly species in North America, with a wingspan of 4 to 6 inches.
The larval host plants of Giant Swallowtails are trees in the citrus family including Lemon, Lime, Orange, Prickly Ash, Hoptree and also Common Rue.
These caterpillars have an interesting sort of protection from predators, having the look of bird droppings.
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Brown isn’t an unusual color in a butterfly, but green is unusual. This is a Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus). It’s a small butterfly with a wingspan of just 3/4 to 1 1/4 inches.
Native to North America. Here in Virginia the larval host plant is Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana).
This guy in the photo is getting nectar at the flowers of an Applemint (Mentha suaveolens).
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