The old cemetery next to us is bordered with so many apple trees. Their windfalls are everywhere, many with bites of various sizes on the yellow and red fallen fruit.
I have been here in October 1989 with my parents. I was recovering and out of work after some tricky right hand surgery. I drove up with them when they came for the last season visit before closing the house for the winter. I wasn't outside on that trip, I remember being quite uncomfortable. My dad and his dog and my dog spent a lot of time in the chilly autumn weather, it was later in October. The fallen apples were still providing spots of color on the bleached grass. My dad brought in one of these enormous apples, just like the red one in my collage. My maternal great grandfather planted a lot of the now old and gnarled apple trees surrounding us. He was very proud of his special varieties I have heard. I wish I knew the name of the giant specimen my dad and I have picked (with 32 years between) from a tree planted probably circa1886. I remember being awed by the size, and I looked today for the tree, remembering where my dad said it was. I took the one plucked 32 years ago home and eventually to my Kindergarten classroom when I returned to work. I never tasted it. Today I picked two, I'll cut into one. I expect it to be rather mealy and unappetizing, they have been left to nature, and apple trees need tending. We did have two trees near the house that my great Aunt Abbie used for fabulous pies. Storms have made them history, but it's amazing to see the others still laden with fruit. One sees apples everywhere along the roadsides here, way downeast in the month of October.
For the Record,
This day came in with warm sun and cool, but lovely autumn temperatures. Ah, the salty air and quiet, just a perfect October day on the coast of Maine.
All hands feeling very lucky to be here.
I'm quite pleased with the camera on the new iPhone 13 Pro Max. You can read the names on the tombstones, taken from quite a distance.
I retired from public school teaching after happily spending twenty eight years playing in Kindergarten. Now I fill my days watching cat antics, taking endless...
