Like the proverbial squirrel, I've been gathering all the Autumn nuts I can in preparation for the next 11 months.

My hauls include black walnuts (which I have learned to like), hickory nuts (from shagbarks), and butternuts (like pecans). I have bucket loads, esp. the walnuts.

Now the fun part comes--cracking them and extracting the meat. It's very tedious and time consuming. I sometimes question my sanity. Perhaps it's genetic, since my mother and grandmother would sit on the back steps and crack walnuts for hours. Is it worth it, I ask?

I cheated a little yesterday, when I went to a farm to buy my yearly supply of almonds (plain and "enhanced"), mixed nuts, flaxseed, and assorted "yum yums" to snack on.

Every year, a semi hauls a trailer full of nuts and fruits from Modesto CA to little Rossville, IN. There's a German Baptist connection somewhere. People come from all around to buy dried fruit, nuts, honey, popcorn, etc. from the orchards of central California. The prices are reasonable. I spent a whopping $118.75 on goodies. But no walnuts or pecans! If my own almond tree ever produces, I can cut out buying almonds.

I usually don't buy dried fruit either, since I dehydrate my own pears, apples and peaches. And the persimmons are ripening from my very own trees for the first time this year. I love persimmons!

Excuse me, I have nuts to crack. No jokes, please!