The Sweet Time

I'm halfway through the editing process of my second novel but the outdoors keeps calling to me.  It's the sweet time - that time of year where bounty is in abundance and ready to be harvested.  Earlier this year, I asked a friend if she'd like to keep a couple of bee hives on my property, hoping that the little insects could boost the pollination of my fruit trees.  She agreed and the project paid off for both of us.  She is swimming in honey and I yielded so many nectarines that two branches broke on one of my trees - not to mention the peaches - oh the delicious peaches.

My tomatoes are in full production and are loaded with perfect ripened fruit from which I've been busily making tomato soup and soon hope to can salsa and spaghetti sauce.  I am so busy but it is a labor of love.  Soon winter will be upon us but my pantry will be loaded with jars of tasty sunshine.

It's not been all work.  My family enjoyed playing in the local apple orchard down the road from our house.  There is something about the morning air this time of year - dewy and energized with life.  I tried to capture the experience with my camera as we picked raspberries in the field in front of the orchard.  I love how the hills in the background are flooded with the morning light and the textures created by the raspberry bushes.

I can't wait until we visit the orchard again.  My favorite apples are just coming into season and though they weren't quite ripened to perfection, I still had to pick the grapefruit-sized Honey Crips apples.  Yes, I love this time of year and I have given myself permission to push my editing aside so that I might live in the moment and experience all the wonders which create the sweet time.