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After excitedly collecting chestnuts for a few weeks, I decided to research further. Apparently there is a difference between a horse chestnut tree and sweet chestnut tree. The sweet ones are the ones people eat. Horse chestnuts are toxic to humans. We have a horse chestnut tree. Ach! Guess I'll be throwing out the collected nuts. Makes me wonder though why anyone would want to plant a tree that is beyond useless and even annoying, but toxic.



On another note, though, I did make way in preserving food that is safe to eat: Grandmom shared her tomatoes with me to have enough to make it worth attempting another canning session. This one turned out better. I'm still learning the art of correct heat at the correct moment, as well as packing the jar with enough produce. Last Sunday we were up in Robie Creek and MIL was talking about the Orchard. She led us to a spot in the hills that is covered with wild apple trees, blackberry bushes, and hoards of rose hips -- which by the way are nasty, horrible, thorny bushes. While most of the apples won't be ready for awhile (the plan is to make applesauce once they rippen), some tiny little green apples were good to go. The apples were prepared and frozen for apple pie. I even froze them in the pie pan so I can just drop the frozen bunch in a crust and put it in the oven!

The blackberries -- gathered by my adventurous husband -- are either eaten or frozen as well. Dr. Laura, husbands who swim through shark infested waters to bring their wives lemonaide? I've got you beat! Husband who tromps through thorns and thistles on steep slopes to bring his wife fresh berries!

We also came across a couple plum trees. . .

. . .and a bush that produced this:

Anyone knows what this is?