When Life Gives You Apples

Monday, my domestic diva friend and I decided to tackle making applesauce. Well, I asked her if she'd like to come over and we'd make it "together." The lovely apple tree in our front yard produces an amazing amount of apples for being a "dwarf" tree. So we took our boys all the way to the front of my yard and picked nearly a bushel of apples. Well, I don't know how I came to a comclusion of a bushel of apples, but we picked enough to cook three pots of applesauce. 

Please note that I am using the term "we" loosely. 

Most of the time, I methodically cored/sliced/peeled the apples. My friend had done the same with the apples, but with her coring/slicing/peeling 10 apples to my 1. Granted, if one knows me well, they know I am easily distracted, so I would assume she knew what she was getting into (If I say her name everyone will want to go to her house and eat applesauce{she left most of it here for us}).(By the way, I just made that whole parenthesis thing up). She was busy cooking and smooshing, and then I decided it was time to make a video for my Facebook page. I must say my friend seemed very tolerant with the distractions.

About the apple tree...

When I was growing up, my folks had a couple with whom they spent much of their free time. While he passed away a few years ago, she is still living in the Portland area. Six years ago, we invited her to our celebratory open house, yet she was unable to attend, and sent us a housewarming gift. I can't remember if she specified to buy a tree or not, yet I felt compelled to do so with the gift she had given. She always kept a beautiful garden in only about a third of the space I have in my yard. So with the check, I ended up purchasing an espalier pear tree, and then later, a dwarf apple tree. 

I can't say I've taken great care of either tree, and the espalier is a mess right now, but the apple tree was so heavy with fruit this summer, it leaned over near the ground. 

As busy as our family is, and with school up and running, I began to ignore this tree, in that, I knew that collecting it's fruit meant work on my part. I couldn't figure out how I was to do our schedule and actually do something with the apples. So, as the apples began falling off the tree, I decided I better not let anymore go to waste.

I have given much thought this summer to the responsibility of abundance. The tree is a gift from a friend, the fruit is a gift from God that I have to decide to make good choices with it's fruit. I can use them, share them or not do so, and let them rot. 

To me, the latter is a waste, yet in all my busyness I watch them rot. It's a choice to live in this Internet speedy culture, but when I stop long enough to enjoy such moments with friends to use the gift, it is time well spent.