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“After smelling your chicken and dumplings all day yesterday, I ordered their chicken and dumplings, and they weren’t all that good. I don’t think I’ll be asking to go to the diner again any time soon.”
“That’s too bad. Well, at least you know that you can make better chicken and dumplings than they can.”
“I got you a roast for supper tonight. I put it on George’s account. He supplies both of the general stores with their milk, and they give him what he needs as part of the payment. Any time you need anything, don’t hesitate to get it. He has a lot more store credit than he can ever use.”
Jessica smiled. “Perfect. We will happily eat that roast.” After seeing the sheer size of the roast, she cut it into two portions, one for roast for supper that night, and she would make a stew the following day. There should still be food left over from each meal.
Mary Sue and Jessica had little time to talk that day as Jessica was doing so much housework, but while the two little ones slept, Mary Sue did Jessica’s ironing for her. “I don’t know why I enjoy ironing so much,” Mary Sue said. “It just feels soothing to me.”
Jessica laughed. “I’ll make you a meal once a week if you’ll do my ironing.”
“I would agree to that!” Mary Sue said with a laugh. “I want to start with your chicken and dumplings. They are a favorite of mine, and they never turn out right for me. I know I have your receipt, but I’d love you to make them for us.”
“I would be happy to!” Jessica said. “Just for you and Maynard?”
“Yes, but enough to last a couple of nights, please.”
“I’m happy to do it. What night are you thinking?”
“How about Monday? I’ll come over, do your ironing, and give you a chance to do some housework, and then you can make the chicken and dumplings for us.”
“That sounds good to me. I keep seeing apples that look ripe in the trees when I step outside. Would anyone mind if I picked the apples? I could make applesauce and even can some of the apples for apple pie filling later in the year.”
“I think that’s a brilliant idea. We’re all sharing our harvest with you. Perhaps you could share apples and some apple sauce and apple pie filling.”
“All. How many women are part of this?”
“All of the wives. Mother Fleming had eight sons. Everyone is pitching in because you didn’t have a kitchen garden this year. We usually trade a lot anyway. Jennifer, Samuel’s wife, tends to plant only potatoes because her family won’t eat vegetables well, but she likes them. So I trade her carrots and celery and onions for potatoes. And so on. This year, you can trade apples.”
“Oh, that sounds wonderful. I’ll do it too. The children and I can pick apples on Saturday. I’ll do the laundry after church, and then I can make the apple sauce and pie filling on Monday while you’re here. If you don’t mind staying a little extra of course.”
“I don’t at all. I would be thrilled to have apple pie filling in exchange for my carrots, onions, and celery.”
“And apples and applesauce?”
“Cinnamon applesauce?” Mary Sue asked.
Jessica laughed. “I always do plenty of cinnamon.”
“Then yes! I’m so glad you’re here, and not just for George and his little ones. I think you will be a true asset to the entire community.”
“I’ll certainly try.”
Once the older children were home, Mary Sue was on her way. “I’m making a real supper tonight.”
“I think that’s a smart idea!” Jessica said as she waved goodbye to the older woman.
Nancy didn’t drop her books on the floor and took them straight to her room instead. “Do you need help?” she asked when she came back downstairs.
It seemed to Jessica that the girl had accepted her. She had a feeling it was because she hadn’t insisted on being called Ma. “Let me think. I got a lot done today, and I feel like we’re mostly caught up with the fall cleaning. I know, why don’t you wake Joe up, and I’ll go get Sally. We can go for a walk and pick some apples.”
Nancy smiled, racing upstairs to get her brother.
Jessica changed the baby, and the five of them set out with Joe and Sally in a wagon that Jessica pulled. Joe sat up, and Sally sat between his legs, sitting upright with his help.
The two older children carried baskets for the apples, and there was also room in the little wagon for even more apples. It would be nice to be able to serve apple pie for dessert the next night.
When they reached the grove of apple trees, Jessica and Nancy picked the apples while Bertie played with the two younger children. It wasn’t long before both baskets and all of the extra room in the wagon were full of the bright red apples.
