Perfect weather on Saturday for the annual Apple Festival at Historic Bethabara Park (which I just learned is pronounced be-THAB-ara; not beth-a-BAR-a like I've been saying this whole time...)
For some reason, I'm a sucker for these colonial historical reenactments. I think it's because it evokes this calming, nurturing feeling of a simpler time in a simpler place - and I am fully aware that this warm fuzzy emotion would quickly be swallowed by the realities of life in that day and age - but there's just something about it...
This location holds the oldest house in Forsyth County which was built in 1792 (I think...) and the oldest German colonial church with living quarters still standing as well - including the original floors and everything!
We checked out the potter, the weaver, and the yarn-maker (who probably has another name, but that's all I can come up with right now...) That was by far the most interesting though. It was really amazing watching this handful of wool get turned into string. If it broke, you could just spread out the end, hold it in the pile of wool in your hand, and it would just pick up again like it was nothing. The woman who was doing it told us to keep our eyes open because the wheels were selling at yard sales like hot cakes. She kept encouraging me that I could do it myself - and the idea was tempting for a second - but as I'm not exactly the Martha Stewart type, I realized just about the only thing I could do with a hunk of yarn would be to make a lot of (or a really big) Cats-in-the-Cradle string games. Which would be cool...but maybe not quite worth the effort. 
There were all sorts of colonial games to play. Who wouldn't be entertained by hoop-and-a-stick, or walking on tin cans with ropes like mini-stilts? There was some sort of bowling like game that seemed interesting, but I never quite caught on to the rules. And there were horse drawn wagon rides, music, and dancing ... and of course, APPLES!
How many kinds of apples can you name? I think I'm up to about 10 now. Some new ones we tried: Mutsu, Spartan, and Staymen. I also had to finally try one of those apple dumlings - homemade, baked fresh on the spot. MMMMmmmmm! Yum! There were also cider slushies, apple streudels, fried apple pies (OH! - side note: I passed on the FRIED BOLOGNA being sold at Rock the Block Friday! Seriously? How do you serve that?) We bought $5 worth of apples, which will probably last us for at least a month. I'm planning on making a chicken/spiced apple concoction this evening, and some cranberry applesauce eventually, but if you have any great recipes/uses for apples, feel free to send them along! I'm usually up for trying anything once - except for fried bologna... 
2 comments:
Those pictures look like every day life in Unity, Maine! (Just kidding).
I love the names of some old apple varieties: like banana gold and pippin and Northern Spy. And dumplings? Don't even get me started. Could there be a better food in all the world?
Call me crazy, but I had a fried bologna sandwich in Talladega (I know you are terribly surprised by that!) And, it is really good. You should try it. Nicole and I used to put bologna in the microwave and cook it until it would curl up and make a bowl shape...ahhhh the memories. :)
Post a Comment