Picking Apples with Papy

While on our walk yesterday morning, we noticed that most of the apples had been picked from the orchards that we passed.  In fact, several green apples were piled high in crates along the road.  So my walking companions paused for a moment for a quick photo op.

As we continued along the way, we saw more apples, this time piled high in crates next to a barn.

Standing proudlly next to the apple crates were a five-year-old and his Papy (grandfather).

Papy informed us that his grandson, dressed in mud boots just like his Papy, was a great help with apple-picking.  And we all loved capturing this vignette! 

Travels with Aristotle

This morning as my walking companions and I were finishing our rural promenade, we happened upon an interesting sight.  A man, heavily laden with a backpack, and an almost equally laden donkey were trudging towards us along the path.

Having brought my camera with me this morning, I pulled it out for a few quick shots.  The donkey was not happy about having his picture taken and didn't want to pose quietly.

It seemed to me that I had seen this odd couple before and that sense was confirmed after we greeted the man.  We asked him where he had been and he responded that he and his travelling companion, "Aristote," (Aristotle)  had been touring through la Suisse romande (French-speaking Switzerland).  Their odyssey began in Geneva in May.  They were now returning to their point of departure.  They were pausing in our village so that the donkey could rest at the stable nearby, where the man would set up his campsite.   I remembered having seen them there last May.  We asked him what he had liked most in his tour.  He told us that the loveliest place they had seen was a lake high in the Alps that was literally "magical."

He himself had walked the route before, indeed several times.  But it was the first tour for Aristote.  When we exclaimed at the impressive amount that each seemed to be packing, he assured us that his pack was at least as heavy as the one that Aristote was carrying.

We left the two of them to continue to their destination and we continued to ours - a much shorter and easier route, to be sure.

"Turn! Turn! Turn!"

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, a time to reap that which is planted; ...."

Several days ago, the reflection of the setting sun on the Alps across the lake was so lovely that I had to try to capture it.  I took a couple shots, but this is the only one even partially comparable to the real thing.  Still, it is a mere shadow of the fleeting and fragile beauty of that moment.

Today, I could see snow on these same mountaintops.  The leaves are beginning to show the first tinges of gradations into fall colors of scarlet, orange and yellow.  Friend I stopped by for morning coffee, bringing lebkuchen from her native Bavaria.  The package was festooned with a lively orange bow into which she had tucked a dried leaf gathered by her three-year-old daughter.  She apologized for the leaf's golden brown color.  "It was bright red when we found it.  But its color has faded."

The leaf's color is a stark reminder that we are phasing into autumn.  When I look out over "my" vineyard, I see how lush the vines are

and how heavily laden they are with their precious purple fruit.  Their days are numbered, I'm afaid.

The vendanges (grape harvest) in this area officially began last week on 20 September for grapes used to make sparkling wines (vins mousseux).  Yesterday inaugurated the traditional vendanges for other types of wine.  The period will last for the next six to eight weeks, with the last grapes picked for use in sweet dessert wines.  I expect to see people in this vineyard any day now, plucking the grapes fom the only home they have ever known, moving smoothly and swiftly, but gently and carefully tossing cut bunches of grapes into the carriers on their backs.

Like the apples, the grapes in this vineyard are harvested by manual labor.  Although these particular grapes are grown in my village, they will travel to the vintner in the next village to be made into wine.  That has not always been the case.  This whole terrain was agricultural land and once belonged to one farming family who made its own wine.  The vineyard itself is much older than I, although individual vines have most certainly been replaced over the years.

These grapevines are protected.  No development can take place in this traditional vineyard area.  Other parts of the former agricultural terrain have been sold for residential development.  Zoning regulations for other types of traditional agricultural lands are more flexible.  But zoning regulations for grapevines are stringent, rendering this vineyard, fortunately for me, practically sacrosanct.  So my life intersects with these vines.  I watch the first buds, the gradual greening of the vines, the pruners as they move through and tie the vines in the early spring, the workers as they attach strings higher for new tendrills to climb towards the sun, the spreading of nets to protect the fruit from birds.  The rhythm has continued like this since the vines first arrived here centuries ago, brought - as were so many other wondrous things - by the early Roman settlers in this area.

Now, with the vines, I wait for the inevitable.  The pickers will come.  The vines will be stripped of their fruit, although some grapes will be left behind to replenish the earth from which they sprang.  Ultimately, even the leaves will go.  The branches that are now so heavily laden will be lopped off to mere stumps.  The stumps will rest during the winter, slumbering until it is time for the warm sun to return and the whole cycle to begin again.   

Picking Apples

There are few activities that bring to mind the sights, smells, tastes and overall "feel" of autumn as picking apples.  The apple, wonderful fruit that it is, was one of the earliest tree fruits to be cultivated.  It is thought to have originated in Western Asia.  Apples appear in many religious traditions, often as symbols of forbidden fruit - which is ironic considering how widely apples are used as everyday food.

There is a real crispness to the air this last week of September.  The outside temperature has dropped from a high of 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) last week to 14 Celsius (57 Fahrenheit).  It is indeed still pleasant, but there is a distinct chill and I'm wearing a sweater even as I sit indoors.  But as I was taking a morning walk with a friend late last week, it was clear that harvest efforts are beginning in earnest, and particularly harvests related to apples.  Here, for example, are the kinds of crates that are used to contain the apples that have been picked.

This interestingly-looking piece of equipment is more often used to work in the vineyards, but it is clearly dual-purpose, as here.  It will take the empty crates to where they are needed,

drop them at strategic points, and return with the filled crates to be loaded into a truck waiting nearby.

I had noticed, while walking earlier in the week, that the apples were clearly changing colors.  So I brought my camera with me on this walk in order to get some photos before the apples were all gone.

Some apples had changed color much faster than others.  Being somewhat apple-growing-challenged, I had no idea as to whether it was because the apples were of different species or simply that some apples had matured more quickly.

The apples themselves are picked by hand, with care taken not to bruise them accidentally.  This particular crew looks very cheerful, considering that picking apples is hard manual labor.

The pickers even have to climb ladders to reach the apples that are on high branches.

The spectacle had some attentive watchers in addition to my walking companion and me.  A nearby mare and her foal

were obviously hoping to get at least a taste of any windfalls.

Living the ABCs

Princess Butterfly seems to be enjoying her [pre]school days so far, especially because her BFF Princess K is in her section, called "Section C."  Although Princess Butterfly, having been coached well by Big Sis Ice Princess and Big Bro Football Prince, already knows how to recite her ABCs, her little class is also learning about the initial sounds the letters of the alphabet make by wearing or bringing items beginning with the "Letter" of the day and associating the sounds with the letter.  Thus, one day's theme was "B is for Bear."  Every young pupil was to bring a bear toy to school with them that day.  Here, the group poses in the school library.

There were apparently some in the bunch who were free-thinkers.  I notice at least one "Bunny" which also could work for the letter B, although it doesn't quite fit with the "Bear" theme.  The Butterfly is in the top row in the rear with her hair pulled back.

The Bear she has with her appears to be the one she finally chose at the Build-A-Bear shop during her visit to the "Grands" in September 2008 - when she was still "just a baby."

As I remember, she was somewhat torn at the time between two furry critters, as seen here.  But she finally selected Tuxedo Bear, in part because he had a little guitar and that reminded Princess Butterfly of her Papa, Big S.

There appears to be more uniformity when the theme is "C is for Cap."  Princess Butterfly and Princess K, properly dressed for the day, pose near the parking lot ...

and then with one of their teachers just outside the entrance to the school.

Once they get together with their other classmates, it is difficult to find them again.  They appear to be literally absorbed into the group.

But the Princess's bright pink cap helps us to pick her out, once again in the top row!

I am not sure why she always seems to be in the top row - is it merely alphabetical or by design?  Whichever way, I wish for my lovely Princess Butterfly that her life will have many more peaks than chasms!

Milestones

About mid-August, HWMBO and I journeyed to Maryland's Eastern Shore to help celebrate a major milestone achieved by one of our friends, "Big Sister" to our wonderful friend "Intrepid Woman."  The milestone in question was Big Sis's 90th birthday.

The actual birth date for Big Sis had occurred in July, but the celebration for her 90th was deferred to August for various reasons.  HWMBO and I were most delighted to be invited.  We had met Big Sis, along with Intrepid Woman's Littlest Sis, while visiting Majorca in 1999 during their mini-family reunion to commemorate Littlest Sis's retirement from teaching full-time.

None of us could believe how quickly the time had passed since then.  Of course, not a one of us looked a day older!  But some of us, notably myself, have put on a few more pounds since that time.  Well, quite a few more, if the truth be told ....  

The weather for the celebration that day was glorious, warm but less humid than most of the Maryland summer days before or since.  HWMBO and I had quite a pleasant drive to the Eastern Shore and made our way quite enjoyably to the town where the celebration was being held.   I must admit that I was so comfortable that I even dozed for part of the way, especially before crossing the Bay Bridge.  This growing older seems to bring that on more frequently so it was fortunate that I was not on driving duty at the time.

The celebration was held in an outdoor pavillion, so there was shade and just enough of a breeze to keep everyone comfortable.  There were quite a few of us in attendance, primarily family members and close friends who had known the family and grown up with the "girls."  There was a picture board containing pictures of Big Sis as a girl

and as a younger woman, living in the Yukon, and raising a family there when the area was still practically a pioneer area.

Her birthday cake reflected the Yukon heritage.

The family is now grown and Big Sis is now a great-grandmother several times over.  Here she poses with some of her children.

And here is another perspective.

And here she poses with Intrepid Woman and Littlest Sis.  Like Intrepid Woman, Big Sis actively assisted abroad with Allied War efforts during World War II.

A third sister, just younger than Intrepid Woman and who is no longer with us, was the third part of this amazing triumvirate.  Littlest Sis was much too young to be included in war efforts abroad.  But, like the other amazing women in her family, she continues to carry the torch.

We were indeed privileged to participate in and share this momentous occasion.  These woman have served as inspirations to me and to others who have known them.  Long may such milestones continue to be achieved!

Recollections of the Beach

Some weeks ago, while I was still in Maryland, HWMBO and I spent a couple days at the beach at Ocean City.  HWMBO had carefully chosen the moment, one that would fall during the break between the major summer holidays because school had begun but just before the last gasps of Labor Day holidaymakers.  As it happened, the timing and even the weather worked out perfectly for our stay!

We stayed in one of the smaller, older hotels that fronted along the Ocean City boardwalk.  We were still some blocks from the amusement park, the pier and some of the more spectacularly tawdry shops, but not so far away that we were practically in Delaware.  There were still people at the beach, in spite of warnings that Hurricane Earl was on the way and could cause some disruption at the very least.  But the few that were there were nothing like the summer crowds.  As we all know now, Hurricane Earl fizzled out and didn't affect the Maryland beaches much, although it had wreaked havoc in the Caribbean earlier.  But at the time we were there, there was still a nervous feeling of unpredictability in the air ... and the surf was impressive at moments.

We spent some time, as we love to do, just walking along the beach.  We even dared to try going into the surf, but there was a strong undertow that literally took our breaths away, so we didn't go in too far, but certainly far enough to get thoroughly wet.

Considering that I hadn't spent much time in the water, I was amazed to see how much sand my bathing suit had retained and how long it took to rinse off in the shower!

The temperature during the day was warm, but nothing like the sultry heat and humidity we had experienced away from the beach during most of the summer.  At night, there was a nice sea breeze and it was quite pleasant to sit on the large front porch of our hotel and to watch and listen to the surf.  But what was also great fun was to wake up in the morning to see people jogging or cycling along the boardwalk in addition to strolling.  Cycling is allowed there until 11 am.  So we decided ro join them.

We had discussed renting bicycles, but we ended up instead with a two-person surrey.  As I found out, despite the fact that we ostensibly had two steering wheels, only one of them worked.  HWMBO, of course, appropriated the working steering wheel as his due.  !! 

So off we headed towards the amusement park and the pier.

At the entrance to the amusement park, there is a Ripley's "Believe It Or Not" exhibition ...

complete with a Jaws-like shark trying - apparently with some success - to break in.

The parking lot next to the pier is almost NEVER this deserted during the summer!

And a blue marlin, caught in the ocean nearby several years ago, gazes eternally towards the surf that it reluctantly left behind after a long and difficult battle.

Here are a few shots to give a flavor of the Boardwalk near the pier.  Still, the area looks uncharacteristically deserted, almost sedate - absolutely nothing like it does during the "high" season.

Here is one of my favorite stops - the Ocean Gallery.  Yes, it is a bit over the top, both outside and inside.  But I have found some marvelous posters and prints inside and had them framed.

Fortunately for my pocketbook, the Ocean Gallery was closed when we were near and HWMBO paid careful attention not to let me back there during our stay.  It was better that way.

We checked out the sand sculpture on our way back to turn in the surrey.

All told, it was a very pleasant stay.  The citizens of Ocean City, who count on earning their livelihoods during the summer and so look forward to the crowds, probably wouldn't agree with visitors like us, who much prefer the quieter interludes.  But we are glad that we went when we did!

Doing homework

As most schoolchildren are only too happy to attest, homework is not one of the most pleasant scholastic experiences.  Most of them see it, at best, as an excercise that takes them away from what they really want to do which is just about anything but ... homework.

As I wrote several weeks back, my three-year-old granddaughter, Princess Butterfly, was to begin her first experience with school this fall.  It's pre-school, of course, but to Princess Butterfly, it is "SCHOOL" - and definitely an experience worthy of caps.  She is so excited about going to school in the morning with Big Sis Ice Princess, Big Bro Football Prince, and with Sweet Momma M, who also teaches at the school her children attend.  It's an all-family affair to be sure.  And Princess Butterfly is also excited about wearing her school uniform!

Princess Butterfly definitely wants to be included in all activities - just like everyone else.  So, on the way to one of the many activities that take up all Sweet Momma M's non-school time because she is the principal chauffeur, Sweet Momma M, equipped with all three children, was checking to make sure that homework was under control.  Just like Big Sis and Big Bro, the Butterfly got to make a report.

When it was Princess Butterfly's turn, she proudly replied,  "I don't have any homework, I finished all of my academics at school."

Princess Butterfly, we love you very much!  But you do manage to crack us all up.