Tomorrow is the official start of fall in the northern hemisphere. Here is a book to get us thinking about fall. This book deals with grieving the loss of a love one and turning grief into remembering the pleasant times. It is Applesauce Weather by Helen Frost and illustrated by Amy June Bates.
In this story the apples are ready for picking and Faith and Peter know it is the time Aunt Lucy and Uncle Arthur always come to pick the apples from the tree that they planted long ago. However this year Aunt Lucy has passed away. Will Uncle Arthur still come? Aunt Lucy always made applesauce and Uncle Arthur shared his stories from the past. Faith holds out for Uncle Arthur to come even though her mother and Peter both say they do not think he will. However he does come and at first it is so different. Uncle Arthur is so depressed but slowly the family is able to remember the happy times with Aunt Lucy.
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This book deals with so many difficult issues of grief and loss in such a sweet way. It switches back and forth between the various characters thoughts and actions and show how each is feeling and dealing with the loss. It brings the family back together to do one of Aunt Lucy's favorite things and together they begin to heal. I really found this book sweet and could see it helpful when dealing with a death in the family.
Of course this book also brought apples and autumn to mind so I thought I would round-up our apple posts. As Hazel and I looked back at our apple posts we realized that we really need to redo some of these crafts and lessons since Hazel does not remember many of them since she was only almost three and four when we did them.
Apple Crafts
1) Four Seasons of Apple Trees
2) Apple Tree
3) Paper Apples and Apple Cores
4) Apple Prints 1
5) Paper Apples
6) Paper Plate Apple Basket
7) Apple Trees ("Mommy, I want to make a new one since I don't like the one I made anymore," Hazel said yesterday.)
8) Apple Coloring Page
9) Apple Prints 2
10) Teaching the Trinity with an Apple
11) "Stained Glass" Apple
12) Yarn Apple
13) Needle Felted Apple
14) The Hidden Stars (Finding Shapes)
15) Apple Cinnamon Wreath
Apple Recipes
2) Apple Cinnamon Rolls
3) Spice Apple Muffins
4) Ukrainian Yabluchnyy Korzh
5) Apple Pancakes
6) Cinnamon Apple Tartlet
7-9) Apple Picking Fun & Exploration (including Apple Pie and Apple Stuffed Chicken Breasts)
10) Harvest Apple Soup
11) French Apple Tart
Now to go find something to make with apples!! Enjoy!! Happy Fall!!
