Festivals and Holidays This Month

After your morning blessing, have children help you set up your workspace and supplies to make Homemade Applesauce.  Be sure to cover children's clothing with aprons or smocks:
 
Supply List
 
3 lbs Granny Smith Apples, Peeled, Cored and Quartered
2/3 Cups Sugar
1 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 Cup Water
 
You will need to peel, cut and core the apples.  This can be time consuming so you may want to skip your nature walk this morning in order to focus on your cooking.  Remember to let children help you as much as they are able.  Older children can use the tools to peel, cut and core while younger children place the apples into a bowl or help with setting and cleaning up. 
 
Place the apple pieces in a large pot, and add the cinnamon, water, and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes.  
 
APPLE TREE

This is the tree
With leaves so green.
(make leaves with fingers outstretched)
Here are the apples
That hang inbetween.
(make fist)
When the wind blows
(blow)
The apples will fall,
(falling motion with hand)
Here is the basket to gather them all.
(use arms to form basket)

THE SLEEPING APPLE
~ From the German

High up in a tree, among the green leaves, hung a little apple with such rosy cheeks it looked as though it might be sleeping. A little child came near, and standing under its branches, she looked up and called to the apple : "O apple! Come to me; Do come down to me! You do not need to sleep so long."

She called so long and begged so hard, but the apple did not awaken; it did not move in its bed, but looked as though it was laughing at her in its sleep.
Then came the bright sun; high in the heavens he shone. "O Sun! lovely Sun!" said the child, "Please awaken the apple for me." The sun said: " O, yes; with pleasure I will."

So he sent his bright beams straight in the face of the apple and kissed it kindly, but the apple did not move a bit. Then there came a bird, and perched upon a bough of the tree and sang a beautiful song, but even that did not awaken the sleeping apple. And what comes now! "I know," said the child, "he will not kiss the apple - and he cannot sing to it, he will try another way."
 
Sure enough, the wind puffed out his cheeks and blew and blew, and shook the tree, and the little apple was so frightened that it awoke and jumped down from the tree and fell right in the apron of the little child. She was much surprised, and so glad that she said to him, "I thank you very much, Mr. Wind."