There is just nothing like it...

I remember when I was a kid and we would go to Lars and Thelma Loaders Orchards to pick apples. They were good friends of my parents so we did this often. I know that picking apples sounds like work, but it was really fun for us. We were able to climb tree, run through trees, hide behind and up the trees and pick apples. I think at the time we probably viewed the picking apples part as pure slave labor thinking that it was the only reason our parents had us. But of course, now I know differently and often wish I was a kid again. Oh the freedom of those days. *sigh* There are so many things I remember about those days in the orchards. The sunny, crisp autumn air, the smells, the work, the fun and the apples. Most of all, eating the apples. To be specfic,

the GOLDEN DELICIOUS!!!

There is simply nothing like it in the world. First, you have the feel of the apple. You know it is a good golden delicious when you lightly run your fingers over the skin and you can hear and feel the crispness of the apple under the touch of your fingers. Then you smell it. It has that lightly sweet smell. As you bite into it, the sound is overwhelming. The crunch of the firm skin and flesh of the apple lets you know again that it is a great apple. The best part is the juiciness. As you bite in, little bursts of juice spray all over and then drips down your chin. And you don't even care that you are covered in apple juice because you will just lick it off when you are done.

I bring this up because I was able to experience that today. I went to a pumpkin farm to pick out some pumpkins for my place for Halloween. They just happened to have other produce there as well. I could barely contain myself when I saw them. There they were, sitting there in the cool, crisp autumn air. Piled in a little wooden bin, shining like true Gold! I carefully picked out several apples by doing the touch and smell test. Eagerly I paid for them, a small sum for such deliciousness, and started walking to my car. I could barely contain myself, my excitement was ready to burst over. I got to my car and pulled out an apple, bit into it, and there is was... that crisp, freshly picked from the orchard, crunchy, sweet, juicy Golden Delicious Apple. Little burst of liquid shot everywhere and dripped down my chin. I carefully made sure all that wonderful liquid gold was not wasted as I licked my chin clean. I ate it all down to the core. There is just nothing like it in the world.

What a perfect day! I love fall!