I have begun to put my little container garden to bed. This first outdoor garden in my new home has been one of blessings and lessons. The blessings came in the baskets of tiny grape and cherry tomatoes I picked, the luscious smells of the basil, spearmint, and rosemary, and the beautiful color of the deep pink petunias. With the onset of cold nights ... low 40's already ... all but the petunias and rosemary have been harvested, the empty pots of the others cleaned out and ready to be stored until next year. The lessons have been in discovering what grows well in this space, what likes garden soil and what doesn't, and what I can do better with next year. I'm not sad, though. While my little garden may be done for the year, there is another season I adore that has made its appearance ... apples. It is Apple Season here in upstate New York and I can't wait to dive in.
What I love the most about apples besides their taste is the fact that there are so many different varieties, each with their own special attributes in cooking, baking, and eating. There are: Gala, Cortland (their home is right up the road from me), Granny Smith, Delicious, Crispin, Ginger Gold, Honey Crisp, and a host of others. Some are good for baking, some are good for apple sauce, cider, apple deserts, and just plain good to bite into. Each brings their own special qualities and attributes to the table. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say they hated one kind of apple over another. Each one has something to contribute.
I think the apples have it over us humans, don't you? There may be many different kinds of people in the world, of different colors, different ethnic origins, and different sexes, each with their own special qualities. Some are gifted in the arts, some in science, some in building and engineering, some in leadership, and some called by God. None is better than the other. Everyone has a place at the table If the apples can figure it out, so can we.
And so it is.
