You may recognize this as a panel from Nicky Epstein's Tree of Life afghan and you would be right. Right now it looks more like the "tree of dead limbs"; blocking should handle those gnarly branches.

The square above is scheduled to become a pillow, a much-delayed wedding gift (a year-and-counting). Emily Post is still dead, isn't she?

Ladies, that would be a Wonder Bread Wrapper apron on the cover of Jodi Kahn's latest. Say it really fast. Wonderbreadwrapperapron. For some real fun you could make one. Or get your three-year-old neice to say it. Wonderbreadwrapperapron.

Frankly, I am in awe. Scrolling through the projects in her book, you'll find low-impact craft ideas that will have you smacking your forehead, wondering why you ever pick up knitting needles. In the time it would take you to cast-on, you can have a cute-as-a-kitten, personalized baby onesie with snap-on flowers you can change out on a whim.

Or the Handy Hand towels? I was going to knit a dishcloth as a hostess gift for a dinner we're attending this month, but now...Anyway, you look at Jodi's stuff while I source some nice linen.                             

Clearly we have been blessed. With thousands of tiny, sour little apples.

Those of you who are similarly blessed recognize the mixed emotions harvest seasons brings. The squirrels gorge on the best fruit then pelt the cats with their leavings. The worms bore into the fattest, rosiest apples; how they get up the tree, well, it boggles the mind. The wind drops beautiful fruit onto fence posts, compost bins and sidewalks, leaving open wounds for the ants. 

We get what's left. And what's left is a lot. The neighbors have started locking their doors when they see us approach bags in hand.

Apple sauce? Curried apple soup? Apple cake?

Just bought an apple corer. It's going to be a long fall.

I've been cooking up a storm, I'm afraid. What with the bounty of apples and squash we've collected, there's nothing for it but to make cake while the sun shines.

Also our neighbor and good friend had surgery Wednesday, and not being the casserole sort, I thought a garden treat might be just the ticket. I tweaked the linked recipe as follows--and doubled it. (Why give all the calories, away?)

It's divine and bouyant enough to accommodate an even higher percentage of whole wheat flour, should you choose. And think of how virtuous you're being. All that organic fruit and vegetable matter. And walnuts, imbued with those lovely Omega 3s. Better have a second piece...

Zucchini Apple Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 TBS unsalted butter (sweet cream)
3 eggs
3/4 cup oil
3/4 to 1 cup brown sugar, loosely packed 

1/4 cup of maple syrup
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of grated raw, unpeeled zucchini

1 cup, grated, raw, unpeeled tart apples
2 cups white unbleached flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsps baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsps (heaping) ground cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp ground cloves

1 cup shelled walnuts, chopped

2 TBS of rolled oats

sliced apples

1-2 tsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan.
2. Mix wet ingredients together with sugar and maple syrup.
3. Fold in grated zucchini.
4. Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl.
5. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
6. Fold in walnuts
7. Pour batter into buttered pan.
8. Top with apple slices tossed in remaining sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle rolled oats over the top.

9. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350 or until knife comes out clean.

10. Let cool for approx. 15 minutes, cut around the edges carefully, flip over and remove from pan. Cool on rack.

If one goes to the trouble of knitting a baby sweater, what with all the attendant sewing in of ribbons and velcro snaps, one might as well pull together an entire outfit.

Start them out right, I say.

Heartbreakingly Cute Baby Kimono from Mason-Dixon Knitting in Lionbrand Cotton-Ease, color Blossom.

We understand now why heirloom tomatoes became heirloom. While the more modern cultivars stay in their cages like proper plants, the heirlooms sprawl onto the sidewalk and into the herbs, making themselves completely comfortable like a messy in-law come to stay.

It's not like we don't like the idea of the old vines (and we're quite fond of the offspring), but here in the city where garden space comes at a premium, the heirlooms, well, there's nothing to be said except, they're piggish about real estate.

Behold the above monster. We've had our sights on it for some time. (It's a Cherokee Purple, incidently.) I'm thinking it deserves a good stuffing.

Twins, again! Darling wee girls in need of fashionable headwear. The above chapeaux were interpreted from hat patterns in Jil Eaton's MinnowKnits and knit from good old Kertzer Super 10. 

Esthetically sensitive, Stanley isn't convinced of my color choices.

The Perfect Notion Case from Nancy's Knit Knacks

Who doesn't love knitting notions? When one of my students showed up with the case pictured above, I went nuts. Finally, a tidy little case in which to corral stitch markers, pins, tip protectors and needles.

Now, if I could just figure out how to open it up.

Is weekly yarn shop exposure. Results in purchases like this: 

Frabjous Fibers Hand-dyed Blue Faced Leicester in the Green with Envy colorway.

Those who have hiked the Colorado Rockies know the terrain isn't gentle and meandering but steep and, well, rocky. To get to a high mountain lake takes a good two or so hours of steady uphill climbing and in my case, lots of chocolate.

The above photo was taken at the lower Lake of the Clouds. We lunched at the middle lake, and while Mitch went in search of the upper lake, I curled up with a magazine, the view and a hearty hunk of zucchini bread.

Overall, I was a good sport. The day was glorious, with a sky so blue to look at it made my teeth ache. The lakes sparkled; trout nipped at low-flying insects and the light danced off their blue-green waters like fireflies ready for love.

But my feet hurt on the way down (four miles) and I yearned for a proper bathroom. All I could think was, surely hiking boot technology has advanced to absorb the pummeling feet take from gravity, rocks and age? There's got to be an insert, padded footbed or wicking something-or-other to take the sting out of the descent?

Anyway, we saw these on the way down. The seasonal end of the alpine wildflowers. Pretty, no?