Abundance

 Yesterday, I accompanied my husband, Dan, up to Pine Valley where he was completing a job for the forest service. On the property where he is working there are several large apples trees that are abundantly full of apples. Dan has been bringing home bushels of apples every time he works there. The forest service gave him permition to "pick as many" as he wanted.

Today I was invited along to pick the remaining apples as winter is moving in this weekend. I fashioned a Wal-mart go green bag around my neck with a bungee strap as a makeshift apple picking contraption. I carefully positioned the ladder below so that when I climed to the top rung; I would be in prime position to reach as many apples as possible in that section.

As I got to the top, I would reach and stretch to gather every apple withen my grasp. Just as I was about to finish and climb down with  my bag full to capacity, I'd remember to look up. It was always hard to keep my balance when my eyes would leave the ground, but I always found the very best, and brightest apples right above my head!

It didn't take me long to fill the two big baskets that I had brought with me to gather my fall harvest. As I looked at my tote of beautiful apples, I again felt abundance! I had more than I needed and knew that I could share. 

Dan has been filling up bags of apples for several weeks and delivering them to the neighbors. We even set sevreal big bowls of apples out on our porch on Halloween night with a sign that said, Help Yourself. Pine Valley Applesl, Fresh picked today! 

Apples trees that were not pruned, but were allowed to grow as they saw fit; usually have a few blemishes. Some people that I shared the apples with were a little hesitent to take one; because they were not     "perfect" like those at the store which were chemically treated and polished with wax and stored in commercial coolers. But those who took the risk and tried a bite of a freshly picked apple right off the tree; were in for a real treat. The crisp, tart yet sweet flesh of the newly harvested apple delivered a perfect treat...just as nature intended an apple to taste. Regardless of any small imperfections, the delicious flavor of a fresh picked apple, can not be beat!