Blue skies melted me up like butter shaping my day into a fluffy cloud. These skies always made me feel alive, made the orchard feel alive with the apple trees flowing to the beat of the wind making a rhythm, as if there was a drum quietly tapping. The crunch of the apple tree leaves was heard throughout the entire five acres, and I was surprised that the robins had not visited our orchard to sing among the swaying trees, and blossoming apples.
They were finally reddening those mackintosh apples, finally were shaping into the apples that we would sell at the local farmers market, and get the compliments that came every year, like Mrs. Flanning who every year would comment on how juicy our apples were or Mr. Kaplan who would brag about how he would paint the fairest picture of our apple orchard this year, and to my knowledge he never followed through. Something was brewing in the air, I could tell, I could finally since the smell of success with this years crop.
The trees were lined up creating a seven foot wide path for the tractors, workers, hayrides, or groups that had to travel in between. All the workers had special jobs whether it was tree trimming, weed wacking, apple picking or watering, they took there jobs very seriously. You see the orchard depends on the apples to survive, and if they aren't watered enough or not picked at the right time everything could go wrong.
But now wasn't the time to worry about such things for it was almost time for the first farmer's market of the season, and my family was hyped up to the point where my mom was cleaning the bathroom floor with a tooth brush, to be specific my toothbrush which happened to be dark green with white stripes along the sides. This was her nervous habit which grew on the family over time, and especially on the days before apple season where the house was shinning in cleanliness.
Since five years ago when the orchard opened apples have become a part of our daily diet between apple pies, apple tarts, (list more apple foods and there recipies from a book or friend) and everything from just plain apples.
