SUMMERTIME, AND THE LIVIN' IS EASY (BUT IT AIN'T NECESSARILY CHEAP)

BAYFIELD CHERRIES

A BAYFIELD APPLE PIE

Tuesday,  8:00 A.M., 63 degrees F, wind W, light with some stronger gusts.  The sky has a high overcast and some rain clouds.  The humidity is 75% and the barometer stands at 30.03" but is beginning to head down.  We had a few sprinkles of rain last night and probably will get some more as the day goes on.
   Buddy is overjoyed to have the "lampshade" off.  The stitches were removed yesterday afternoon, and the wound seems to be healing O.K., although he won't leave it alone and licks it a lot. I have an all-day tree removal and trimming project to supervise today and so have no time to tarry.
   Bayfield cherries, both tart and sweet, are just now available.  The sweet cherry crop, mostly grown by Apple Hill Orchard on Hwy. J, was initially considered a complete loss by orchard owners Bill and Claudia Ferraro, but some of the buds on the sweet Lapins did not freeze last spring and the resulting crop is not large but is of excellent quality.  Last year they harvested 20,000 pounds and this year will sell about 5,000 pounds of sweet cherries.  Their Cavalier sweet cherries did not bear at all, and both varieties suffered some winter damage to the trees themselves but it was not major.  The Lapins are not as sweet as the Bing cherries  from Washington State currently at the markets, but they have a very refreshing, crisp flavor that I like very much.  At $4.00 per pound the local sweet cherries are twice as expensive as those from Washington but their freshness makes them very competitive.  The Ferarros reported that there were more honey bees this spring than last spring and that between rented and  wild local honey bees and other native bees there were plenty of pollinators to do the job.  They also said that it looks like there will be a bountiful apple crop this fall.
   On Sunday I ordered an apple pie from the Bayfield Sweet Shop and I picked it up to have for desert yesterday evening.  It is truly delicious but like the local cherries, somewhat pricey at $12.00. No matter really, for as much as I like my apple pie I only buy two or three in a year.  Anyway, pie, cheese, and a glass of milk made a fine, fast breakfast this morning.