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Happy October! 

It sure was nice seeing our front door again after the long flight back from Hawaii.

But everything felt different. Fall had crept in. Our driveway was full of leaves, and a bracing chill filled the air. I didn’t mind one bit. I love autumn. The days ahead promise deep blue skies, rollicking pumpkins, and nature’s finest spectacle, as trees take their last bows in rustic costume. I’ll fill my eyes with the sight of autumn leaves — red, amber, gold and orange, because it will have to last me all winter.

Autumn’s cooler weather inspires me to cook! How about a hearty vegetable soup, simmering all afternoon, its savory aroma drifting over to where I’m typing a story?  Or even better, I might bake some ginger snaps or an apple pie, just so I can breathe in the heavenly smell of something baking in the oven. 

                      APPLES!!

What a wonder an apple is, how versatile for cooking or eating out of hand. And what a striking metaphor for writers:  the forbidden fruit, the apple of my eye, as American as apple pie, the Big Apple, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, one bad apple spoils the bunch, an apple for the teacher, apple polisher, and Adam’s apple.

Apples are supposedly the most varied food on the planet, with over 7500 varieties on record, and 2500 varieties cultivated in the U.S. alone. Growing up in Hawaii, I thought there were just two kinds of apples:  red and green. It wasn’t until I moved to Virginia that I learned about the dazzling array of color, texture, and unique uses for each variety. My husband loves the tartness of a crispy McIntosh, while I prefer the sweetness of Red Delicious for my daily midmorning snack. And what about those Rome Beauties, Golden Delicious, Staymans and Granny Smiths? Apples can have personalities, too!

Chances are good that your local farm market is brimming with bushels and bushels. So, it’s the perfect time of year to celebrate apples. All month long, stop in for apple poems, apple recipes, apple stories and lore, maybe even an apple contest!

It just might be the tastiest bite of your day!

Take your first bite here!