Funny how no matter what changes, some things stay the same.  Like apple picking.  Given the choice of simply purchasing a bag of apples at the store or picking my own, in the orchard, I will always choose the latter.  It just feels like the right way to welcome, officially, the autumn.  So, without further adieu, I post this year's pictures, sans korean student, but avec sarah's beautifully penned words (I hope she doesn't mind much).

Dad, Peeling Apples

The color of wheat
bread speckled
like the skin of a Golden Delicious,
freckles on top of freckles
and tiny nicks
from his knife, dots of blood
turned to brown scabs.
My father’s hands

have never changed. Every night
a different apple
skinned naked,

split and seeded without him
ever looking down, loving the fit
of apple
in the left hand, brown-handled
knife in the right.

He licks the tip of his finger
where the juice runs clear
and skewers a slice

for me, which I take

regardless
of whether I want
an apple or whether
the flesh has begun to brown
around the edges. When he is done,
knife set down and fingers wiped
clean against the legs
of his beige corduroys, I will take
the leathered back
of his hand to my cheek
and hold it there, begging
his weathered roots to spread
their soil-caked fingers
long and strong
as deep as the generations will go.

(By Sarah Small. Copyright 2000. First published in The Yalobusha Review.)

what a precious memory to share, with friends, across the miles.  this, too, I would forsake for the beauty of the mountains ... hills to call home.

Posted by QueenoftheHill

You people are going to make me have to drive up to Cosby and go apple picking...

1 hour and 15 minutes in the car, 1 infant, 1 anxiety-ridden 8 year old, plus 1 non-stop-talker 11 year old. Hmmm. You owe me.

Posted by castlekids

Love the apple photos! We tried to go apple picking here in NY but after we waited in line to prepay to pick we were told that they were out of apples!! The other trees were not ripe yet and all the ripe ones had been picked!

Posted by SmallWorld

Why must you ALWAYS make me weep? And I swear that looks exactly like my brother's orchard...

Posted by rcelliott

Andrea and I used to go with another couple and it was a ton of fun. We haven't gone in a couple of years. How long does the season last?

Posted by JenIG

oh sure.... you have time to pick apples but NOT to drive to TN and hang out at my house for a month or so?

Posted by DrHibiscus

I hope you picked some of those Empires. That's my ABSOLUTE favorite apple, and one that Sarah's dad had a hand in introducing I think. There is certainly something special about an orchard. But the mountains here are nice too.

Posted by anotherblogonthefire

We just couldn't find that row of 'Cummins (with no G) variety' apples.

Posted by bestsister

is come to my place for tea but bring some apples and that fantastic peanut butter/cranberry dip you used to make....by the way, could you find me a copy of the recipe again?

Posted by ClagettsFLStyle

reminds me of Maryland. We would do this every year. We would make apple sauce and apple pie filling.

Enjoy the bounty.

Posted by skdenfeld

Was that day as nice as your photos made it look?

Kathi

Posted by halfpint....

as I gazed at your pictures. One of these times I hope we will go picking. I could do so many things with those apples...... happy baking!!????? That sauce bestsister mentioned sounds good.

Posted by thosecrazyandersons

It reminded me of my grandfather. I'll have to read it to him!

Lauren
http://www.thingishthings.blogspot.com/

Posted by Juliestew

seems like forever since we've spoken (blogged). we're going apple picking next monday. the drought has been so bad here that there are very few apples but it'll be fun to spend a day in the mountains anyway. we had such a great time at Stone Mountain. thanks for commenting on the pictures. the scenery was so beautiful it was difficult not to take a good one.
Oh, and about the songs....you go girl. you will regret NOT doing it much more so than if you throw caution to the wind and do it. remember, if they say yes or no, you are a Child of the King and nothing can change that.
julie