family tree

he's over twenty years old. he was there when joe was under three feet tall (has anyone ever seen him that short?), and he attended joe's rehearsal dinner. he's seen a lot of things. he's wide and gnarly, and could seem kind of lonely, down there in the corner of the yard. but he's prolific, for an apple tree. no fertilizing, spraying, or obsessive attention needed. just an ocassional pruning of the branches.

this year, he's giving and giving. perhaps he's trying to prove himself, trying to show off his bearing talents, since he may have overheard the family discussing his removal. or, perhaps he's old and ready to die and wanted to go out with a bang. whatever the reason, the result was a beautiful bucket of red apples, not shiny with wax, but earthy with a layer of tree-love still on them. a few drill holes from apple bugs, but in beautiful condition. this is special fruit.

if i was an apple, home-grown from the backyard family tree, i would do my utmost to get into a pie - a homemade pie, dotted with butter, sprinkled with cinnamon, and covered in a real flaky crust. that would be my crown of glory, my opus.

these apples just called for more than a chomp or a slice. these apples were born from a tree of history, from a tree grown in the dirt under our feet. and so, i crowned them with glory and honor, said 'well done, good and faithful apples," and tossed them in among the sugar and cinnamon. dancing and sizzling to perfection inside a tender, butter-happy crust, this must have been their final delight, their holy reward.

ps- every time i've made a pie, i've always taken a picture with it. it's tradition. i don't know why exactly, but like bread, pie-making is an act of love.

pps- don't ever make a 100 % whole-wheat crust (ahem). it turns out too heavy and tastes a lot like a slice of bread in the mouth. not a good sensation when you're expecting apple-divinity.