Apple Orchards, and Ruminations on Autumn.

I can't tell you exactly why, but there has always been something so completely magical about Edwards Apple Orchard. I've been going there since I was a small child, and I don't think I've missed a single year since. Maybe it's because Fall is my favorite season, maybe it's the fact that it has always been something my mom and I enjoy together, or maybe it's just the crisp weather and the heady scent of cider.

And it's not just Edwards. Everywhere I've ever lived or visited I've sought out little tucked away venues during autumn. In Bayfield, WI - the apple festival and the wineries with tastings of apple, pear, and plum wines. In Pullman, WA - the lentil festival with chili, soup, and chunks of yeasty bread. In Ely, MN - the Harvest Moon Festival with Pat Surface and his fiddle and big bags of kettle corn. In Moscow, ID -the County Fair comes late and features quilts, jams, and bounties from the harvest. Madison, WI - the farmer's market around the capitol building with mounds of greenery and rusty-colored flowers.

Something about the harvest season intrigues me. Fruition. Ripeness. Labor's sweet rewards. Dust from the fields. Scents like cinnamon, wheat, leaves, and snow on the edge of the clouds. The sound of acorns plummeting to the earth. Lusty, round fruits bending their branches. Blue jeans and brown leather boots. Big red barns. Snow forming on mountains. The smallest of creatures tucking provisions away in their dens. Lakes reflecting many colors. I think the harvest is my favorite time because no matter where you are, there is something beautiful about autumn.