Wanting the best of both worlds
After we had bought our house, I finally faced up to being a California resident. Forget that I had already owned a condo here for five years; I still felt temporary. Now I actually own land, not much, but enough. This fact is important because of a pronouncement I made a few years earlier when I realized I may become a transplanted New Englander forever. My statement was “well, if I have to live in California, at least I can have an orange tree.” Lo and behold, our backyard came with an orange tree and a Meyer lemon tree. There are bushels of them ripening their immature green skins right now. But instead of being satisfied in the fruit tree department, my brain, raised on yummy New England apple cider, is off looking at the web site of the Sonoma Antique Apple Nursery (recently changed to the Trees of Antiquity) and their incredible selection of heirloom apple trees. There are close to 150 varieties on that page, familiar names (Jonagold, Braeburn, Cortland, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, McIntosh) and odd names (Black Gilliflower, Red Astrachan), varieties from Russia, Israel, Germany. It’s a treasure trove of apple history. I need to go find some cider.