There are no actual pictures, just the ones you can create in your head.
The build up:
As most of you know it's pecan season. Last year was a bust, so that means the trees had a chance to build back up and produce. And produce they have. So my beloved neighbors have a hobby to get them outside for a bit with picker in hand...
Every evening Mr. Billy and Mr. Ruel (the neighbors) are in their front yards searching for those few pecans that have dropped for the day. I mean they are on top of it.
Mr. Billy had to go and buy another leaf blower because his old one stopped working and he won't just mow the leaves up with his John Deer because it just might suck up some good pecans or even worse, it will crush them up when he rolls over them...He's passionate about those nuts!!
Mr. Ruel on the other hand has less leaves, and is a bit more passive, but don't you step in his yard to take some for yourself because he'll let ya know!!! He nearly called the police a couple of weeks ago because two elderly (Spanish speaking) people didn't get the message that they were stealing!!
Alicyn just loves the both of these guys and pecans, too. Lets just say she's nuts about them, in a pun kind of way...Ha, I don't care who you are, that was funny.
So, Alicyn loves to go outside when she sees them, to help pick pecans and talk "shop" with them. Sometimes I can't tell who loves the company more. Them or her.
The chase is on:
One day while helping Mr. Ruel pick up pecan's, she says, "I think you should make pecan pie with all of these pecans?". His reply is simply, "Ya think "I" should, do ya?". So the chase is on and the game is on, for Ruel that is. He is very cunning and has a great sense of humor.
Ali and Ruel pick pecans and talk day in day out until Ruel has Ali (as gullible as she is) eating out of his hand, literally...then he lowers the boom. "While you were at school, I peeled these for you", handing Ali a zip lock bag packed full of pecans. She is just elated!!! "Awesome, thanks Ruel", she says. Then, he lets her get about 4 steps away and says, "Yea, it will be awesome when you bake that pecan pie for US"!!! She is now confused, you could just see it in her face and says, "I thought you were going to make the pie"? He gives a good chuckle and replies with, "No, ya see, I peeled all those pecan's that you helped pick and now its your turn to cook US a pie"!!
She looks at him with a smile and a look like she had been fooled!!!
I couldn't help but laugh, and say, "Well, here is your life lesson for the day, baby. Team work".
The Saga:
Ever since then Ali and I have been on the go or with Jaxon, so I wasn't about to attempt the pie with him around. I needed concentration and her full attention to detail. As for myself, have never made just ONE pecan pie, batches of 10 or 20, sure but not just one in my own house. I just don't care for it and during the holidays its pumpkin for me, so that's what I do. So we had a chore to take on since these weren't just store bought pecans (thank God we have some in our yard too, have you seen what they are charging at the store, jeez). We couldn't just mess these up and I told Ali we have to concentrate. So we waited, and waited and I'm sure by now Ruel is wondering, "Where is my PIE"!!!!
Thanksgiving passed. We had time, but Mr. Ruel was going to be out of town, so that was out. Then, finally time came. I picked Ali up from school and we raced home to mend our ties with the pecans and Mr. Ruel.
Ali got her apron on and up on her chair that she stands on when ever we bake or make something in the kitchen. Everything went well during the process. Ali only broke a few small egg shells in the mix and I fished them out, that's usual and I'm used to it by now. We finished the mix, she had her first taste of corn syrup, filled the pie crust and even took the time to turn all the upside down pecans right side up before cooking, just for show purposes.
"OK, high five Ali, that was easy", I said. Slap, a good high five!!!! "OK, Dad, let me get down and open the oven and you put it in", she says. Just at the time she's getting down, all excited our adventure is about to be fulfilled, she jumps down, elbow out and it hits the pan that the pecan pie is sitting on and Flop!!! Blam!! The pie hit the floor in one motion and about two solid metal clinks like two cars hitting each other.
The reaction from what I just mentioned is exactly what happened between Ali and I. One of shock, and the other of instant tears. "I didn't mean too, I swear"!!! she says, and I kinda chuckle and look at her and simply say, "you need to be careful, babe". At this point she has Niagara Falls coming out of her. I tried to explain the whole thing about not crying over spilled milk, and that didn't help. Then I said, "Look, do you know how many pies and cookies I have dropped, spilled, and messed up in my life"? "Lets clean this up and start over and make a new one...that is all we can do". God bless her heart, do you know what she said while still sobbing tears? "But....That one was perfect and all that LOVE that we just put into making that pecan pie is now on the floor and I ruined it for everybody".
That nearly got me to tears. All that I could say is, "Well, lets start over with being EXTRA carefully and this time we will put extra LOVE in it, OK"?.... "OK, Daddy"
The completion:
The ending pie went faster and thank goodness Laura went to pick up Jaxon that day without us or we wouldn't of had time to finish. It went in the oven, we waited, the timer went off and, "Ugh, man, the top got a tad bit burnt".
All I could say to Ali is, "Well, Ali. I guess today is not our day of Pie. We can't give this pie to Mr. Ruel, we will tell him the story and bake him another one soon". She returned with, "Can we still eat it". LOL!!!
If your in the area and need some pecans, please stop by MY backyard and help me!!! I've only picked up a 5 gal. bucket from a space of 6 ft x 15ft. There are tons and I don't have the time. Only Mr. Sam has taken some and we picked a bucket for him in 15 minutes or so.
Mr. Ruel is still waiting for his Pecan pie, but he understands.
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