Apples, cider and beyond

In past years, I have rhapsodized about fall and apples....my first real date with the professor was to go apple picking in upstate New York.  We make a habit of trying to pick apples every fall.  For the last three years, that has involved helping pick a neighbor's tree.  She lives a block away, and the first year after the boys were born, I raced back and forth between two car seats, popping one boy into a sling to nurse, and then the other.  We're now, at age three, up to the point where they can sometimes pick low hanging fruit themselves, but mostly spend their time chasing windfalls and testing apples with one bite out of several apples...each!

So, apple picking is not quite as romantic as it used to be.  We are visiting family in Virginia for a few days, and the professor surprised me with two lovely gifts.One was Apples of Uncommon Character: Heirlooms, Modern Classics, and Little-Known Wonders, a gorgeous copy of a book that is like a love song to apples.  The other was a 6 pack of hard cider, locally made.  I was able to bring some of that cider to share with a friend...and saved one bottle of it, so I got to drink peacefully by myself, as I read this fabulous new book.  Well worth the purchase of a hardcover, just to enjoy a cider while looking at the luscious full page photos.

Happy fall!  I am really enjoying the warmth of a sunny fall holiday at "home" in Virginia.  Back to Winnipeg, and cooler temperatures, soon enough!