ka-chung-ka-chung-ka-chung-ka-chung-ka-chung-BANG!-ka-chung-ka-chung...
During my childhood, I woke up to that strange sound at least one morning every year. It's the BANG! that would wake me. Do you know what? I still don't know what that sound is. I know it came from a machine that had been set up in the field across the road, and that it was pioneerish, but I don't know what it's called and I certainly don't know its function, other than being a late-September alarm clock.
...ka-chung-ka-chung-ka-BANG!-ka-chung-ka-chung...
Apples have been a theme for me this week. The other night after work, I went to Azu'car's home where she showed cjane and me how to assemble the perfect apple strudel (strudels? -- sure. rhymes with noodles.). Lucy said she'd bring me some of her magical apples, and I can't wait to try them; I could use some magic. The temperature as of late has inspired a desire (but not a craving) for apple cider. I doubt I could down any without dry-heaving, but what can be done? During the Easter season, do you stay away from Cadbury Eggs? No, you eat at least one, as disgusting as it is, because it's Easter. And cider I shall drink, because it's fall.
...ka-chung-BANG!-BANG!-ka-chung-ka-chung-ka-chung-ka-chung...
I grew up in the middle of nowhere; no, that's not true: I grew up On The Way To Pennsylvania (OTWTP). The formal name of this little town is Busti (prounounced "BUST-eye", not "busty"), and every year, on the last Sunday in September, thousands of people walk right in front of the house in which I grew up to attend the Busti Apple Festival. We would let our friends park in our driveway, and sometimes people would pay us to use our yard to hold their own sales. We'd usually have a batch or two of kittens to give away, and we always did.
...ka-chung-ka-chung-ka-chung-ka-chung-ka-chung-ka-chung-ka...
We scoured the house for change and begged our parents for just 80 cents so we could buy a funnel cake. Ooooooh, funnel cakes. Crispy and chewy, topped with powdered sugar which was also chewy from being moist. We also, for the sake of the thing, bought and ate candied apples (gross). Not realizing on the day of the festival what a treasure apple butter is, I was always grateful to have it in the weeks that followed the apple festival, to put on my toast on a cold afternoon.
...BANG!-ka-chung-ka-chung-ka-chung-BANG!-ka-chung...
Living OTWTP, it was truly surreal to see classmates and teachers walking on our road, in our very yard. For one day each year, we were famous. The rest of the year it was, "No, I can't give you a ride; my mom said you live too far out." But for that one day, we lived in the right place.
...ka-chung-ka-chung-ka-chung...
We perused the vendors lining our road and were drawn to their crap. "No, Mom, aaaaalllll I want is that crocheted hat! That's ALL! It can be my Christmas present! Pleeeeeease??" Or that crocheted purse. Or those roach clips (the feathers are so pretty!). Or the incense. Or that crocheted cat. Essentially: crap.
...ka-chung-ka-chung-ka-chung-ka-BANG!-ka-chung-chung-ka-chung...
On my list is to take my family to The Apple Festival one day. Because describing it doesn't do it justice. Since I won't be visiting Busti this weekend, I'll give you a few other places to visit:
~Friend of the Noonans rides the bus
~Monica and Bambi
~Read this if you want your blood to boil
~This is the blessing I want for my baby
*speaking of baby, another huge THANK YOU for the well-wishes. I will give details soon...maybe the next post. Stay tuned!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
12 comments:
Beautiful post, ~j. And now I'm in the mood for apples and funnel cakes (although I've never had one of those).
OOOH I am in time--Have Bunsies bring me a bunch of apple butter and I will pick it up at Thanksgiving. I will send her the cash. Busti butter is the best--it tastes of hobos and dreadlocks.
I had my first (and last) funnel cake this past summer at Knott's Berry. I had to stop rather emergently on the way home to "get rid of it".
I always wanted those roach clips too, couldn't understand why I couldn't have it.
You should take your family...I'll bet it's beautiful there this time of year!
My blood has stopped boiling....just still sighs and eyerolls.
Makes me want some apple cobbler.
And the colors make me think of raking leaves.
I imagine the nod to BNL in your title is intentional.
When I asked james about getting out of school and the deer, he just said "in due time..."
Oh my gosh, I am starving now. And also feel the sudden need to buy sweaters, lots of sweaters. What a lovely, evocative post.
As a matter of fact they are!
That strudel really was easy and delicious. I think I'm going to make it for every meal until I burst.
Never had a funnel cake.
(Can all this fruit be free?)
If you are currently hearing the ka-chung-ka-chung-ka-Bang! It might be the Beast driving by.
Never had a funnel cake, or a roach clip, or magical apples. I did get a crocheted toilet lid cover from the evil step granny once.
You had CATS?!
Mmmmm....Funnel Cake and Apple Butter! My parents just took a trip to Amish Country and brought me back a jar of Appple Butter. It's heavenly!
Ah, the memories of giving away litters of free kittens! So much fun. And apples....oh, ~j you've sent me down memory lane. Thank goodness my parents' house is just around the corner so I can go get some apples.
We don't have lovely festivals where I come from, unless you count the days of '49 (a reference to the gold rush?? honestly I don't know we were celebrating). Days of '49 involves a parade, a lot of drinking (open containers), a rodeo, street dance, pig wrestling, and more drinking. I'm not sure I'm going to take my family back for that one... they might run away from me forever.
next time can you invite me to make the strudel? please? i love baking. and i love you and cjane and i'm sure i would love azucar too.
love, nat
I hope your mom got you the crocheted cat. That sounds really hard to make. I'm going to look for one on Etsy right now.
Post a Comment