Apparently Apple Picking is a "Thing"

Ah... so many new things to learn and see outside of Texas.   It still feels a bit odd to think that I spent my whole life in one state and am now experiencing a completely different type of environment.  

The summer festivals have wound down but the outdoor seating areas at the restaurants and bars are still set up and getting some use.  A bit of cool weather is a welcome change!  (For the record... it did actually get hot enough in August for me to turn on the air conditioner here).  

We took the RV up to Rougemont last weekend.  This is a mountain about 1 hour east of Montreal.  It rained quite a bit Friday night but we were snug and dry inside of Gibby.  I definitely do NOT miss tent camping or sleeping on the ground. 

Saturday morning was cool and bright and

sunny.  We took a hike up to the observatoire and we were able to look out and see Montreal from a distance.  Even the trolls had a good time!  Dave loaded a plant app on his phone and we stopped to identify lots of different leaves. We found Cinnamon Fern, Chinese White Poplar and American Beech, along with Oak and Maples.  

After the hike, we walked down the road to a local apple orchard. 

WOW - I've never seen soooo many apples at once.  It was amazing.  We picked a bag - it was hard to decide which ones to pick!  Since we've been home - I've made apple muffins and I have a recipe for an apple challah.  Applesauce is the next candidate on my menu!  Hmm... it may be a little early for Halloween but I think caramel apples can be eaten any month, eh?  

A few weeks ago I took a bike tour of the various gardens in my new neighborhood. 
First stop was called Incredible Edibles.  These are planter boxes placed along the sidewalks where anyone walking by can pick what they need.  

The second stop was an herb garden planted in a small space in front of a fire station.  

Third stop was the NDG Food Depot Production garden.  This is quite a large plot that grows food to be sold at local markets in the neighborhood.  Some of what I make during my cooking shift at the Depot is used for the markets as well.  Baba ganoush, hummus and zhug are popular items that we make.  What is zhug you might ask?  (I definitely had to ask)!  Zhug is a hot sauce originating in Yemeni cuisine. It is made from fresh red or green hot peppers seasoned with coriander, garlic, salt, black cumin (optional) and various spices.Some also add caraway seed. Zhug may be red or green depending on the type of peppers used. It is quite tasty! 

The fourth garden was another "collective"garden, like the one I have been working in.  It was interesting to see different vegetables being grown in the different gardens.  I'd like to try okra next year if we have enough space.  

The bike tour ended at a neighborhood block party where they had music, dancing and food.  The Depot provided a free meal, along with veggies for sale.   

Speaking of the collective garden... our group had breakfast this week in the garden. I made a plum cake (which was yummy - thanks to the recipe from Debbie from the Depot)!  We had eggs, croissants, muffins, fruit salad, tea and coffee!  Unfortunately - we only have 3 more weeks of our garden season.  It has been a wonderful experience - I am so glad I was able to do it.  And hope to be back again next summer!  

Cooking and food seems to be a recurring theme for me. I just started a volunteer shift at the YMCA helping in the Teen Zone, where once a week I help oversee a group of kids and work with them to cook a specific recipe. In exchange for volunteering I get a free membership.  The YMCA is right next door to my apartment building... literally steps away.  They have a swimming pool, gym, weight room, yoga and a full schedule of fitness classes.  I am really going to take advantage of this - especially in the winter. 

The leaves are just starting to change colors and our vantage point, 12 floors up, gives us a fantastic viewing spot. Here is a sneak peek of one of the first trees to change.  I am really ready to witness this thing called "Fall colors".  

Thanks for stopping by.  Be sure to check back - I'm sure I'll have some more updates as the leaf changes become more vibrant.