Back To School Days

I can't believe that summer is over already.  I always get those butterflies in my stomach at this time of year even though my own school days were long ago.  Not that summer ending is a sad time exactly, it's just a time when that wild freedom of summer has to be folded up neatly for another year and the routines and busy schedules come off the shelf again.   

But, there's a lot to love about back to school.  Like fresh clean notebooks, and seeing old friends again and meeting new ones and of course, the time honored tradition of bringing an apple to put on the teacher's desk.  I happen to know just the spot to pick a few fresh apples in honor of the first day of school. 

 This morning a gentle thunder storm rolled through just as the sun was beginning to rise.  I wrapped up in my Cozy Up Open Front Knit Cardigan and decided to go outside to enjoy my morning tea while listening to thunder and watching the rain roll down.  

As the the heavy drops turned to a light mist, I decided it would be the perfect day to inspect the apple orchard and see how the apples are coming along.  

While most apples are ready to harvest in fall, this particular variety is ready now, in late summer.  The skin is so dark red it's almost purple at times and they're sweet and tart and make the most amazing dried apples ever.

The stillness of the orchard and the way the rain has cooled the air, made me glad I brought along my soft white cardigan from Blooming Jelly to keep me cozy while I pick.  There's just enough of a chill in the air that I want to wrap up  until the sun starts breaking through the clouds.  The sun hits the rain drops clinging to the apples, leaves and grass, lighting up the field in a crystal glow.

The apples are crisp and crunchy and I make sure to pick enough to take home to slice up and pack into lunches and maybe even make a pie to have warm and gooey and waiting at the end of the day and a few extras of course to send to school with my daughters so they can carry on the tradition and put apples on the desks of all their favorite teachers this year.

Before I know it, it's time to gather up my bounty, load all my delicious apples into my basket and walk home.  The clouds are clearing away and the sun has fully risen into the sky.  The day is beginning, school is beginning.  There's so much to do, so many busy days ahead.  

The lazy days of summer are over and gone, but there are still many weeks of still mornings out picking apples just like this morning left in the season before the weather turns cold.   And as always, I intend to make the most and the very best out of each day and each passing season.

Shopping Info: COZY UP OPEN-FRONT CABLE KNIT CARDIGAN from Blooming Jelly, Unique-Vintage dress by Glamour Bunny