Apple Bounty

I only have one dwarf apple tree, but it has outdone itself this year. I planted it about 20 years ago, but it never bore fruit until we added on the garage which sheltered it from the north wind.



I've been trying to keep up with the windfalls for about 2 weeks. The rotten ones I put in a bucket and throw them over the hill where I put my grass clippings. Riley likes to throw them one at time and giggle when the dog retrieves them. The other day, he swiped my tongs while I was grilling and used them for apple-picker-uppers. Notice that the bucket is in it's third incarnation. It orignally held dishwasher detergent, then it has "cat milk" written on it from a time we bottle fed orphan kittens. Now it's a rotten apple bucket.


He also used the tongs to swat at bees on the sedum.

I decided yesterday to pick from the tree before the birds ruin them all. They have to be peeled by hand once the birds mark them. Anyway, I thought the apples were pretty enough for a picture.