Apple Pie Skepticism, October 8th at Kitty's Place

Nova Land

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While Kitty is away in Europe seems like an ideal time to announce the selection of Sunday October the 8th at Kitty's place as the date and site for a skeptics' potluck get-together. Festivities will start about 11 am (or whenever people arrive). A full plan for the day is still under construction -- hence this thread -- but here are some of the things likely to be part of the party:

Apples! I'm planning to bring a bushel of apples, fresh from the orchard, some of which I'll cook up the night before into fresh apple sauce (and, time/energy permitting, into a couple of apple pies and apple cakes) with a good selection left for people to take home. Northern Spy, a very fine apple, should be coming in by then, and there should also be some nice Macintosh. (And if there are any good specimens left I'll bring along a Pound Sweet or two -- not that tasty, but very interesting to look at!)

Kayaking! Weather permitting, we'll go out on the water during the afternoon. (I didn't realize how fun, or addictive, kayaking could be until being introduced to it 2 years ago at a gathering like this at Kitty's. Now it's something I look forward to all year.)

Live Entertainment! We have 3 incredible acts already booked for this event, including performance art, magic, and more magic!

First up is Dingo the World's Cutest Dog, in an astounding performance as a lap-dog which may leave you gasping for breath! Amazingly convincing, this performance works on even hardened skeptics!

Also appearing, by special request and for a limited engagement, is the magnificent magic of Louie the Supercorgi, who will make an astonishing assortment of foods vanish from places you would never have believed he could reach!

And rounding out the show, Theodate the Wonder Cat will baffle you with her incredible Invisible Cat trick! I wonder where the cat is, you'll ask in astonishment, but you won't see her anywhere!

Potluck! Skeptics cannot live by apples alone, so bring along a potluck dish to share with Louie other skeptics.

Lively Conversation! Some of the finest skeptics in New England will be present, and discussing a wide range of topics.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Contrary to what some of you may have heard (or read in PMs) there will NOT be discussion at this time of Kitty's plan to overthrow Darat and take over the Forum. No such plan exists, and any PDFs you may have read containing the text of such a plan are non-existent. Not to mention out-of-date; if you are planning to attend this get-together, please read the non-existent amended PDF, which has significant revisions and amplifications.
Any references you may have seen to this plan were simply a joke. It would be best if people refrained from making any further mention of this plan in this thread, since it would only alert the admin confuse people.
 
I'd like to go! I've been reading about all these N.E. get-togethers forever and I'd like to come to one finally.
 
Hi! Just a quick note while I have time and computer access. Apple season is going well, with very attractive (and tasty) apples. We've moved into the busiest part of season now, with lots of Macintosh needing to come off the trees very soon, but by the week of October 1st things should be slowing down.

There was a story on apples in the Rutland Herald last Sunday (September 17th) which included a picture of one of our pickers (a young woman named Sarah, who has been picking with us for the last few years). Unfortunately the on-line edition of the paper doesn't include the picture. But I thought I'd post a link to the story anyway, since it does give a fairly good description of this year's crop (and of some of the problems facing growers). I'm not sure how long the story will be available on their web site, so here's a short excerpt of some key passages.
Vt. growers expect smaller crops, larger apples by Bruce Edwards, staff writer

Don't look for a bumper apple crop this year. Wet spring weather hurt this year's apple harvest while some orchards were also hit with damaging hail, according to apple growers. On the bright side, they said apples are bigger and have more color this year.

The rainy spring, growers said, stunted or delayed pollination of the state's apple trees.

"We had fairly limited windows for pollination to occur," said Steve Justus, a spokesman for the Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. "The bees weren't flying" ...

Up until the past few years, the state's apple harvest was in the neighborhood of 1 million bushels but Justis said the state has lost a number of its apple orchards with growers squeezed by cheaper apples from other states and overseas.

"It's not a disaster by any means but probably not one of our most productive crops," said Millie Steingress of Mendon Mountain Orchards in Mendon.

As if the spring rains weren't bad enough, Steingress said a recent hail storm also damaged some of the crop.

When the final numbers are tallied, Steingress estimated her crop in the 3,500 to 4,000 bushels range, which would be off a little from a year ago. Like most growers, the bulk of her apples are Macintosh...
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At the orchard where I'm picking (down in the southern part of the state, near Bellows Falls) there is definitely a lighter crop than in most years. But the apples are ripening up very nicely. The generous amounts of rain this year have helped the apples size up, and the cool nights have helped them color up, much better than in the past few years when the weather has been just too warm and we've had significant problems with undersized and undercolored apples.

There were some very nice Ginger Golds, but those are almost all gone now so I won't be able to bring any of those on the 8th. (There are a few left on the trees, which I eat whenever I walk by and discover one. One of my favorite apples when they're good, and this year they've been very good.) But there are some very nice Honey Crisp still left, as well as some surprisingly nice Gala which are hanging on well, so I may be able to bring some samples of those along on the 8th. And the Macoun are exceptionally good this year, and just coming into their prime this next week, so those should also be nice for the party.

I probably won't post much for the coming week, but am very much looking forward to seeing folks on the 8th!
 
I'm doing a presentation for our College's Fall Alumnae Reunion but I believe I am scheduled on Saturday. If so I'll be at Kitty's on the 8th. I really don't want to miss the invisible cat- That's my favorite kind of cat! (Do I need to bring cheese?)
 
Looks as if I will be making an appearance at this party... which means there will certainly be kayaking involved, as long as the weather is nice or even if it's not as I am known to kayak in rain, snow, sleet, hail... pretty much all weather.

Anyone care to give me (and possibly Rebecca) a ride up from Boston, or will I be stuck on hours of public transportation? Let me know!
 
Damn apples! Couldn't they have been picked in May, so that I get to meet Kitty and Nova Land in addition to all the lovely people I met while there...
*sulk*
 
Please Come!!!

Let me know, though if you just show up I'm not going to turn you away!


Lots of fun. We're borrowing an Playstation with the new air guitar game (for the kids, but honestly, the songs they use are a little older so I rock at this game...the teens have never heard of groups like "Chicago" and "Joan Jett". Oh yeah, we will so kill them...)

Also, we will all learn fork bending.

Vegetarian food, even vegan food !!!

And meat if someone wants meat. Pool Boys eat meat.

Kids, pets..you bring them I'll feed them.

Bring a snack or food to share if you want. IT's up to you. As long as there is take out pizza, none of us will starve.

Unless Louie gets to the food first. Just seeing Louie in action is worth the trip from anywhere. I love that dog.
 
Definitely will be there with kids in tow. You have been warned.



Boo
 
Boo, I"m searching the basement for the old Duplo Zoo. It's a big treat when I bring it in for my kids at school. Hey, Nova Land was just saying that skeptics are seen as being intellectual cheerless people. The point of our get togethers is that we aren't. It's fun, it's a little crazy (Louie The Wonder Dog, dare I say he's the one I've been most looking forward to seeing?), and hey, it's life! Let's just say skeptics are far more "normal" than fundies would think.

Though if Sylvia Browne shows up I'm going to hit her over the head with a copy of her childrens book "What Happens When Animals Die?".
 
kittynh said:
Though if Sylvia Browne shows up I'm going to hit her over the head with a copy of her childrens book "What Happens When Animals Die?".
Click to expand...

I call dibs on going at her with a pair of nail clippers! Those twisted claws make me wretch.
 
Pliers... hmmm... You know, that sounds like way more fun than clippers too.
 
OK who is bringing Sylvia to the party?

This could be the best party EVER!!!!
 
Hmm, dunno. It's kind of short notice, and Beady2 and Mrs Beady2 may be up for the weekend.

BTW, where's Kittynh's place? I know it's not far from Keene, but that covers a lot of territory.
 
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between Brattleboro VT and Keene NH on route 9. Like right off it.

Not drive 20 miles off it!

Sometimes people come down via Westmoreland and Walpole. (crossing over at Bellows Falls VT)
 
I'll be there, with my camera, should there be any special pictures that need to be taken.

Can we blow something up? Mentos and Diet Coke?
 
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