Windsor Plywood French Creek: The Pulse Community Podcast is brought to you in part by Windsor Plywood in French Creek, specializing in hard-to-source interior and exterior home finishing products, including flooring, doors and moldings, and exterior project materials such as yellow cedar. Windsor Plywood French Creek carries high-quality, responsibly sourced products and is committed to providing outstanding value and personalized one-on-one service to all of our customers: homeowners, do-it-yourselfers, renovators, builders, designers, craftsmen, and contractors. Regardless of the type or size of your project, Windsor can help you bring your vision to life from start to finish. Let Windsor Plywood in French Creek help you with your renovation, new build, or building project. Visit them online or call 752-3122.

The Ballad of Peter & Gracie: Peter and his dog raced there and through fields so wide, with dreams in their pockets and stars as their guide. Every day's an adventure under the open sky. In their world of stories, time just flies by.

Peter McCully: Peter rubbed his sleepy eyes as the golden sunlight streamed through his bedroom window. The seven-year-old boy stretched and yawned, and then heard a familiar sound that made him smile: scratch, scratch, scratch, with tiny paws against his bedroom door.

"Gracie!" Peter called out happily. "I'm awake!"

The door creaked open and in bounded Gracie, Peter's fluffy white American Eskimo dog. Her bright black eyes sparkled with excitement, and her pink tongue hung out as she panted with joy. Gracie's thick, snow-white fur was perfectly groomed, making her look like a small, friendly polar bear.

"Good morning, girl!" Peter giggled as Gracie jumped onto his bed and covered his face with wet puppy kisses. "Are you ready for our big adventure today?"

Gracie barked twice, which Peter knew meant "yes" in dog language.

Today was no ordinary day. Today, Peter and Gracie were going to Grandpa Joe's to harvest apples and make delicious treats. Peter quickly brushed his teeth, combed his brown hair, and put on his favorite red sweater and blue jeans.

Gracie followed him everywhere, her fluffy tail wagging like a white feather duster. When Peter went to the kitchen for breakfast, Gracie was right beside him. When he tied his sneakers, Gracie sat patiently watching.

"Peter! Gracie! Are you ready for apple picking?" called Mom from the kitchen. She was packing a big wicker basket with sandwiches, apple juice, and doggy treats for Gracie.

"We are ready!" Peter shouted, running down the stairs with Gracie bounding beside him.

Dad was waiting by the front door with his truck keys jingling in his hand. "The apples are calling our names," he said with a grin. "Grandpa Joe says the apples are perfect for picking today."

The family piled into Dad's big red pickup truck. Peter sat in the middle with Gracie on his lap, her nose pressed against the window as they drove through Coombs. Gracie's tail never stopped wagging. She could smell the crisp autumn air through the slightly open window.

After driving through rolling hills covered with maple trees, they arrived at Grandpa Joe's farm. The apple orchard stretched as far as Peter could see—row after row of apple trees heavy with bright red, yellow, and green apples.

Grandpa Joe was waiting for them with a huge smile on his weathered face. His gray beard was neatly trimmed, and he wore his favorite blue overalls and straw hat.

"Peter! Gracie!" Grandpa Joe called out, opening his arms wide.

Peter ran to give his grandfather a big hug while Gracie danced around their feet, barking with happiness.

"The apples are perfect this year," Grandpa Joe said, patting Gracie's fluffy head. "Sweet and crisp, just waiting to be picked. And I have a special job for Gracie, too."

"Really? Really?" Peter asked, his eyes growing wide. "What can Gracie do?"

Grandpa Joe winked. "You'll see, my boy. You'll see."

They walked through the apple orchard, their feet crunching on the fallen leaves. The air smelled like cinnamon and fresh apples. Gracie trotted ahead, sniffing everything with great interest. Sometimes she would stop and point her nose toward a particularly good-smelling tree.

"Look at that," Peter's dad said, pointing to Gracie. "She's helping us find the best apple trees."

Sure enough, every tree that Gracie showed special interest in was loaded with the most beautiful, ripe apples. Her nose was like a magic apple detector.

Grandpa Joe handed Peter a cloth bag for collecting apples. "The secret to good apple picking," he said, "is to twist the apple gently and lift it up. If it's ready, it will come off easily."

Peter reached for a shiny red apple hanging low on a branch. He twisted it gently, just like Grandpa Joe showed him, and it came off perfectly in his hand.

"I did it!" Peter cheered, holding up his first apple of the day.

Gracie barked approvingly and wagged her tail. She watched carefully as Peter picked apple after apple, filling his bag. Sometimes when an apple fell to the ground, Gracie would pick it up gently in her mouth and bring it to Peter.

"Good girl, Gracie!" Peter praised. "You're the best apple-picking helper ever!"

For two hours, the family worked together. Peter filled three whole bags with apples while Gracie helped by carrying fallen apples and alerting them to the best trees. The sun climbed higher in the sky, warming their faces as they worked.

When their bags were full, they sat under a big apple tree for lunch. Mom unpacked the sandwiches while Dad poured apple juice from a thermos. Gracie got her favorite chicken treats and a bowl of fresh water.

"These apples are going to make the most delicious applesauce and pies," Mom said, biting into a crisp apple.

"Can we make them today?" Peter asked excitedly, sharing a piece of his sandwich with Gracie.

"Absolutely," Grandpa Joe said. "In fact, I have everything we need right here in my farmhouse kitchen."

After lunch, they all carried their apple bags to Grandpa Joe's cozy farmhouse. The kitchen was warm and welcoming, with yellow curtains on the windows and the sweet smell of cinnamon in the air. Gracie immediately found her favorite spot on a soft rug near the stove.

"First, we'll make applesauce," Grandpa Joe announced, putting on his special cooking apron. "Peter, you and Gracie can be my sous chefs."

Grandpa Joe showed Peter how to wash the apples in the big farmhouse sink. Peter scrubbed each apple carefully while Gracie watched, occasionally licking water droplets that splashed on the floor.

Next came the fun part: peeling the apples. Grandpa Joe used a special peeling tool that made a long, curly apple peel. Peter watched in amazement as the red and green peels spiraled down onto the counter.

"Can I try?" Peter asked.

"Of course, but let me help you," Grandpa Joe said, guiding Peter's small hands as they peeled apple after apple together.

Gracie had an important job, too. Every time apple peels fell on the floor, she would gently pick them up and put them in the compost bucket. She was very careful not to eat them, even though they smelled delicious.

"What a smart dog!" Mom said, watching Gracie work. "She knows exactly what to do."

When all the apples were peeled and chopped, Grandpa Joe put them in a big pot with a little water, sugar, and cinnamon. The mixture began to bubble and smell absolutely wonderful.

"Now we wait and stir," Grandpa Joe explained, handing Peter a long wooden spoon. "Gracie can help us know when it's ready."

As the applesauce cooked, Gracie sat by the stove with her nose twitching. She could smell when the apples were getting soft and sweet. Every few minutes, she would bark once to let them know it was time to stir.

"Gracie's our official applesauce timer!" Peter laughed, stirring the bubbling mixture.

After an hour, the applesauce was perfect—smooth, sweet, and warm. Grandpa Joe let it cool while he started on the apple pies.

Making pie crust was Peter's favorite part. Grandpa Joe showed him how to mix flour, butter, and a little water in a big bowl. Peter used his hands to squeeze and mix everything together, getting flour all over his red sweater.

Gracie watched every step carefully. When Peter accidentally dropped some flour, Gracie would sit and point to it with her nose, helping Peter clean up.

"You're such a good helper, Gracie!" Peter said, giving her a gentle pat.

Rolling out the pie crust was tricky, but with Grandpa Joe's help, Peter managed to make two perfect circles. They laid the crust in pie pans and filled them with sliced apples, sugar, and cinnamon.

"The secret ingredient," Grandpa Joe whispered to Peter, "is a tiny bit of love in every pie."

Peter giggled and pretended to sprinkle love all over the apple filling. Gracie wagged her tail as if she understood the special secret.

They covered the pies with more crust and put them in the oven. The kitchen filled with the most amazing smell as the pies baked. Gracie lay down near the oven, keeping watch over their creations.

While they waited, Peter and Gracie played in Grandpa Joe's backyard. They ran between the apple trees with Peter throwing a tennis ball and Gracie fetching it perfectly every time. Her white fur flew behind her like a fluffy cloud as she raced back and forth.

When the timer rang, they all rushed back to the kitchen. The pies were golden brown and smelled like heaven. Steam rose from the little slits in the crust, carrying the sweet scent of baked apples throughout the house.

"Perfect!" Grandpa Joe declared, pulling the pies from the oven with thick mitts.

They had to wait for the pies to cool, which was the hardest part of all. Peter and Gracie sat at the kitchen table, staring at the beautiful pies and breathing in their wonderful smell.

Finally, it was time to taste their creations. Grandpa Joe cut generous slices of warm apple pie and spooned fresh applesauce into bowls. Peter took his first bite and closed his eyes with happiness.

"This is the best pie in the whole world!" he announced. "Don't you think so, Gracie?"

Gracie had her own special treat—a small piece of apple without any sugar or spices, which was perfectly safe and healthy for dogs. She crunched it happily, her tail wagging with approval.

As the sun began to set over the apple orchard, the family sat around Grandpa Joe's kitchen table and enjoyed their homemade treats. Peter's parents smiled as they watched their son beam with pride over the applesauce and pies that he had helped create.

"We make a great team," Peter said to Gracie, sharing another piece of plain apple with his furry best friend.

Gracie barked softly in agreement and then curled up at Peter's feet for a well-deserved nap.

When it was time to go home, Grandpa Joe packed up containers of applesauce and wrapped up one whole pie for them to take. Peter carefully carried the pie to the truck while Gracie supervised, making sure nothing was forgotten.

"Thank you for the best day ever, Grandpa Joe!" Peter said, giving his grandfather one more big hug.

"Thank you, Peter and Gracie, for being such wonderful helpers," Grandpa Joe said. "The apples taste better when they're picked and cooked with love."

On the drive home, Peter held the warm pie on his lap while Gracie slept beside him, exhausted from their big adventure. The truck smelled like cinnamon and apples, and Peter felt perfectly happy.

That night at dinner, the whole family enjoyed the delicious applesauce with their meal. For dessert, they shared the apple pie, and everybody agreed it was the most delicious pie they had ever tasted.

Before bed, Peter brushed Gracie's fluffy white fur and told her what a good helper she had been.

"Tomorrow we can have applesauce for breakfast," Peter whispered to Gracie as she settled into her dog bed beside his bed.

Gracie yawned and closed her bright black eyes, dreaming of apple trees, warm kitchens, and the best day ever spent with her favorite boy in the whole world.

As Peter drifted off to sleep, he could still smell apples and cinnamon in his hair. He smiled, already planning their next adventure at Grandpa Joe's. Maybe next time they'd make apple butter, or apple cider, or apple cookies. With Gracie by his side, every day was an adventure waiting to happen.

The Ballad of Peter and Gracie: Peter and Gracie, the finest of friends, with tales of wonder that never end. In the pages of books or stars above, they find their magic in laughter and love.

Windsor Plywood French Creek: The Pulse Community Podcast is brought to you in part by Windsor Plywood in French Creek, specializing in hard-to-source interior and exterior home finishing products, including flooring, doors and moldings, and exterior project materials such as yellow cedar. Windsor Plywood French Creek carries high-quality, responsibly sourced products and is committed to providing outstanding value and personalized one-on-one service to all of our customers: homeowners, do-it-yourselfers, renovators, builders, designers, craftsmen, and contractors. Regardless of the type or size of your project, Windsor can help you bring your vision to life from start to finish. Let Windsor Plywood in French Creek help you with your renovation, new build, or building project. Visit them online or call 752-3122.