Looking forward to Fall . . .

I'm looking forward to Fall and, hopefully, some cooler weather so I can start baking in the oven again. The smell of cookies on a 100-degree plus day isn't as pleasing as wrapping up in a sweater and biting into a chocolate chip cookie that is hot from the oven. You want a bite in the air when you bite into the cookie!

My favorite part of Fall is the onset of apple season. We are blessed to live within 45 minutes of many apple orchards. There is nothing like an apple fresh from the tree. We survive on store apples when we have to but indulge greatly when apples are in season in Oak Glen.

Last year, we discovered a small apple orchard tucked away in the turns and bends of the road. The owner retired about 30 years ago from his job, purchased the property, planted apple trees and fell in love with this particular type of fruit. Besides the regular species of apples, he has several kinds that I've never seen or heard about before. The owner is very elderly now but he still mans the store along with his equally frail wife. They are pure joy to visit with and get apples.

There is only one catch to buying apples from this wonderful gentlemen - you HAVE to sample each apple available that day and you HAVE to listen to his stories and jokes. We always plan the time to enjoy the entire experience. It seems to make the apples we bring home taste all the better. You can't hurry his process and if you jump ahead, buy a bag of apples, and leave, you will be on his sad face look forever. Besides, when he likes you, he is extra careful about the apples he packs up for you.

We always eat several apples on the ride home but the real joy is using them in apple pies, apple sauce, stewed apples, and apple crisp. This is our annual treat/vacation. We go up for apples about every two weeks. There are many, many species of apples and they all ripen at different times. We never know what we will bring home but we know they will be worth it. Besides, quilting goes better when the air is filled with the scent of baking apple pies.