THE OLD APPLE TREE

This dear old Gravenstein Apple tree has been standing for nearly 73 years. It was planted by the family who owned the property I live on, before my parents purchased it in 1949, and was fairly well established then. It's badly in need of a good pruning, and it leans to one side like a tired old man, but the harsh winds and the heavy snows have not toppled it. The roots are strong and deep. Hang on old tree, hang on!

I've enjoyed the lovely pink and white blossoms as well as the apples. If you haven't tasted fruit from an heirloom tree, you are really missing something.

Todays fruit tree growers are more concerned with feeding millions of hungry people and making money so the focus is on quanity, and disease resistance.

I remember eating red delicious apple years ago when my folks bought them by the box. They were very sweet and flavorful, and lived up to their name. Today they taste like someone swished a peeled apple in a bucket of water. How sad to have destroyed something so wonderful.

The blossoms are especially beautiful this year as we didn't have the late frost that turns them brown.

I couldn't resist getting a picture or two, and when I got close enough to get a good look at the blossoms, I had to have some macro's too.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed my little escape into the yard on this cloudy day.

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