Despite all its negative aspects, there are a few things about Fall that I enjoy.

First, are the sheep and wool festivals.  I usually go to two each Fall, the NJ Sheep Breeders Association and the Southern Adirondack Fiber Festival.  I’ve blogged about both and I love them

Second, are the apples.

We have amazingly good orchards within 5 minutes drive of where I live and Thaddeus just picked up two baskets of apples.  The ones above are probably my favorites in this area…they are Honey Crisps.  He also got a mix of two apples he’ll use in making his famous apple pie.

Third, and finally, I love the mushrooms that come out at this time of year in our area.

Really, there is only one mushroom I care about in the Fall, and that’s Maitake mushroom (or Hen of the Woods, or the Latin, Grifola Frondosa).  These mushrooms grow like a big head of cauliflower at the base of large oak trees (sometimes on dead oaks too).  The mushroom tastes a lot like your standard white cap mushroom, but it’s got a woodsy taste and it is also a very firm mushroom that doesn’t wilt when you sauté it.

I had the opportunity to visit Thaddeus’ Aunt Dorothy last week and deliver the sweater to her.

She was thrilled and I was mostly pleased.  I know the photo isn’t the best, but I was lucky to get any photographic proof at all.  The fit was really surprisingly good.  The length was just what I was hoping for, and the waist and bust were pretty much perfect.  I would have narrowed the shoulders a bit more, but the shaping/sloping helped with that anyway.

I’m so glad I didn’t go with buttons, as her arthritis doesn’t allow her to do buttons any longer…the snaps might be a bit of a challenge, so perhaps I should have gone with a zipper.

Mostly, I’m happy that she’s happy and it was great seeing this amazing woman.