Olive Picking...

We could not have asked for a more beautiful day to do our Olive picking.  We enjoyed it very much.  We left the house around 9:15 and got back around 3:30.  A lovely day indeed.  Thankfully a neighbor was able to let Ethan ride with her so we all were able to go.

We arrived out to Mineo and to the farm of Mariska and Emilio.  We had to trek up a pretty big hill to get to the olive trees that needed to be harvested.  Nana and Papaw had a little bit of difficulty getting up there, but they soldiered on and made it up.  They aren't used to so much physical exertion, but I encouraged them to keep going and I think they enjoyed it.  I was cautious with them and their footing.  We had a couple of trips and stumbles, but thankfully no one fell.

We arrived to the top of the hill where there were three trees to be harvested.  They spread a net under the tree and then you pick, shake and generally get the olives off the best you can.  They have some sticks and some rakes and even some battery/electric operated tools to use.

View on the way up to the Olive grove.

Emilio demonstrating how to use a stick to remove the olives.

Using an electric tool to remove the olives.

Norah picking olives

Papaw picking olives!

Ethan picking olives

Gavin picking up the olives from the net and putting them into the bucket.

Ethan behind the olive branches.  

Norah taking a rest.

After picking olives we had a delicious Sicilian lunch at Mariska and Emilio's house.  

Nana getting ready for lunch.

Nana and Papaw eating lunch

Ethan, Cody and Gavin

Spicy pasta 

There was time to sort through the olives; separating the leaves from the olives and pulling out the "not so good" olives.  Norah spent the entire time after eating doing this!  She loved doing it so much.  Mariska said that I should leave her there to help them for the next few weeks.  Mariska even gave Norah a beautiful bar of handmade olive oil soap for all her work!

Norah hard at work sorting olives

She really did enjoy herself

We rode around Mineo so that Nana and Papaw could see it.  We just rode around the perimeter, since getting into the City Center is a bit crazy!  On the way home we of course ran into another herd of sheep. 

Another Sicilian traffic jam!