Saturday, October 13, 2018

The Apples

From three inches of hurricane to a week of forty two degrees.
I came home from an emergency repair of a mud parking lot,




















To find two small brown paper bags full of apples and a note at the back door.
All the apples look different
Most have fuzzy skin
Not a waxed one in the lot.

It is a sign.
After eleven years,
I am kama'aina.

Sitting with this year's harvest of voodoo bulbs.




















Next comes the change
Fading into colors topped with white fuzz
A meadow made to fly far on the wind.




















The Time of the Under Garden draws near.


7 comments:

Sallysmom said...

No a one of my fall crocus bloomed. I guess 2 droughty (is that a word) summers in a row did it.

Christopher C. NC said...

Mine are looking to have a good bloom year. I had the exact opposite of droughty.

Unknown said...

Hello Christopher, I have been reading your blog posts off and on for several years. I’ve always enjoyed your wit, serious thought and appreciation for all things wild and beautiful. Living in the flatlands of Central Florida I’ve often wondered what it would be like to garden in a terrain and climate like yours. I’ve also wondered many times where exactly in N.C. you live. My wife and I have friends that have a cabin in N.C. and visitied them there this last weekend. As we were enjoying the ride from the airport up to their cabin, I couldn’t believe my eyes when we turned a corner and your place came into view. Just as beautiful as your pictures. I’m not sure how often this happens to you but I couldn’t resist knocking on your door. I swear we didn’t linger but I couldn’t help but feel like I was knocking on Mike and Carol Brady’s front door or maybe more like the Walton’s. Regardless, it was a great experience standing (briefly, I promise) on such a beautiful front porch I had only before seen in pictures. Of course I was disappointed you weren’t home but it was still a great moment. Please keep doing what you are doing. brad@edibleed.org

Christopher C. NC said...

Wow Brad! I am so bummed I missed you. Did you come with the apples or did I miss two sets of visitors to go fix a mud parking lot last Saturday? I'm already double bummed.

And you help teach farm to table cooking? I need you desperately! I promise I will reclaim the roadside vegetable next year. Though I do think there is a fine crop of feral parsnips out there. Come visit your friends up here again. We can set and cook a spell.

I am so glad you enjoyed your visit to the front porch. I certainly hoped you lingered long enough to take in the view up to the scenic byway and looked over the railing to see the Tall Flower Meadow in person. It will be different the next time you see it.

You may have picked up from the blog that Gainesville, Florida is where I spent my formative years.


Unknown said...

I’ll definitely let you know the next time we come up. I did not leave the apples. (How cool is that, to get anonymous fruit!)

Christopher C. NC said...

The apples came from two women who stopped by a few years ago and asked if I had any Stinging Nettle they could gather. I said, I most certainly do. I was wondering if those were your friends with the cabin up here.

Sallysmom said...

Hope all is well with you.