Making syrup solo

When my husband and I bought our house, it was the middle of winter so we had no idea what the different trees were in our yard. And the first growing season surprised us with a couple bushels of apples as well as a few handfuls of plums. Now that it's our second year, we were surprised when what we thought was a nuisance tree produced a fruit that looked like grapes. I researched it and found out they were choke cherries! On a visit to my friend's grandparents a long time ago, I had my first and only taste of homemade choke cherry syrup. And I was hooked. So, I decided to try to make my own. Picked them when they were dark purpley on the outside and I was afraid birds were going to begin eating them.
I didn't have a juicer- correction: my mom had a juicer that she swears I knew about yet I didn't so I did it the hard way... so I cooked these babies in some water with some underripe chopped up apples off our tree. Smashed them up as they simmered, and at the end mashed them with a flat tater masher. Then strained through cheesecloth.
Now that I had juice I boiled it away with added sugar till I was content with the consistency. Was still runny compared to fake maple syrup, but I think I'd have to put a thickening agent in if I wanted anything more. In the end I added some lemon juice, because it helped cut the medicinal taste that choke cherries are known for, and added some almond flavoring. Bottled it up, stored some and gave some to family :) I was pretty proud of myself on my first attempt at making and bottling something without my mom, and that it turned out pretty good!