Apples and Yellowjackets

Yesterday, Dad and I picked apples on a pretty little tree we found growing next to the highway about 7 miles down the road. I like to imagine that 25 years ago someone threw an apple core out the window of their car and today we enjoy the fruits of their carelessness. We had spotted the tree last Thursday and by the time we got to it yesterday, someone else had already picked the low hanging fruit. Fortunately we had brought a six foot ladder.

The ground beneath the tree was littered with fallen and rotten apples, upon which the ladder could only be precariously set. Dad teetered on the wobbly ladder and handed the fragrant green globes down to me. I was standing in the rotten apple litter, which was now a minefield populated by a zillion buzzing yellow jackets. Having received a bee sting to the elbow just last week, this situation was making me decidedly nervous! I was also a little nervous about Dad clinging to that unstable ladder and reaching out 'just a little farther' - 'just one more'.

In the end we picked 20 lbs. of beautiful Transparent apples and neither of us sustained any injuries. Today we make apple butter - the results will be worth the trauma!