Apple Giants

There was a big wind and rain storm alert for this last weekend and it didn't disappoint. I watched the trees whip the rooftops, all my sunflower stalks broke in half, and my shed roof jumped like it wanted to fly off.

  

 

I failed to remove and store my bird feeders that were displayed on the porch railing and they all ended up flying off their perches and into the bushes.

I've been avoiding apple picking because I wanted to see how big they would get especially since it's my first year getting apples. I couldn't let it go any longer knowing the winds we get here might knock the apples to the ground. Bruised and battered, they wouldn't be quite as appetizing.

Unfortunately, the critters also like incredibly ripe and sweet apple giants so I was worried they would feast before I got the chance. Still, I waited. The apples by the fence line have bird peck marks and some of the very ripe apples have what looks like little holes. Oh well. I prefer bug-bitten to pesticide-poisoned food. There is a opossum who has been eating the windfalls. Sloppy eaters, opossums. They leave what looks like little piles of applesauce all over the yard!

I've been watching this one apple every day for about three months.

Three months ago...teenager apple.

It hung out from the tree away from the fence line and branches making it not so convenient for anything to eat it. The heavier it became the further down it hung. Still, I expected some kind of insect infestation especially in the core. Every morning I ran out to make sure it didn't fall in the night and get eaten which is how so many of its siblings met their fate. I imagined some hungry opossum trying to reach up to grab it, but it was just out of reach.

It's finally nice and yellow and ready for eating. It's huge! Beautiful.

And SURPRISE! No bugs! I was expecting all kinds of critters to skitter for their lives when I cut it opened. I'm so excited.

Breakfast! So good!