Cherries

Two years ago I decided I really wanted to try canning cherries, so I ordered a super cool cherry pitter with springs and lots of fun engineering looking gadgets. I was totally excited to use it. Then I found out that I had just missed the cherry harvest. I had to wait an entire year! Ugh. The next spring came and I was determined to get some last year. I wanted to cry when a freeze destroyed the entire crop here in our region. Another year of waiting to use my super cool machine.

After waiting two years, Brian picked up some cherries last Saturday morning. I decided to take a nap in the afternoon. Before I fell asleep, I started hearing a rhythmic, pop-clunk. I knew what it was and tried with all my might to stay in bed to give Ben and Brian their special time. Finally, I couldn't take it any longer. I had to see the cherry pitter in action. Ben met me at the kitchen door and threw himself across the doorway, trying with all his might to block the door by touching both sides of the wall. We're making a surprise, he said desperately. I had to tell Brian I what I wanted so he could talk Ben into letting me in to see the kitchen.

Finally, after the long years of waiting, I was able to pit my cherries. Or at least use the machine. We figure it pitted around half of them. The other half are still inside because the plunger missed the pit and just made holes in the side of the fruit. Sort of a let down. Maybe next year, we'll just leave the pits in and keep it simple.