I will be eternally grateful for your great gift of taking in to the fullest extent what it is that I
have to offer, living it, and then reflecting it back in terms of the potential experience of others.
You have given words to a process that defies words. And you’re constantly in a position to help
me continue to hone that, deeper and deeper and more and more resonantly, who I am and what I offer,
which is truly invaluable. — Jon Hansen, 
What you’ve sent me is so darn perfect it hurts! It’s a sheer pleasure to work with someone
who writes as beautifully as you do — and in “my” voice. — Ariane Goodwin, Ed.D,
You have a real gift for words. You’re really, really good at it. — Sherry Essig,
Metamorphosis
Yesterday, I turned this…
(about twelve pounds of apples)
into this…
and ultimately this…
(ten pints of apple butter)
A few pounds became this:
The cats helped.
The apple tree laughed and kept ripening fruit.
I also turned a large dead bush in my back yard into this…
…and this…
(those bundles are three to four feet long and stack about two feet high, three feet across)
However, I did not turn myself into this…
My kitchen floor is sticky.
Martha photo taken from the cover of her book Martha Stewart’s Cooking School.
Posted: July 6th, 2009 under Living in Southern California.
Comments
Comment from
Grace
Time July 6, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Debbie – oh, yeah, but mine is still sticky. I’m sure hers would only be sticky for moments at a time. And I’m truly not convinced her floor would even dare to get sticky at all!
Sue – Yep. It’s a very early apple variety called Anna. It’s lovely, actually – crisp and tart, as long as it doesn’t get (sigh!) overripe, and good for cooking as well as eating fresh. It blooms in late January, which means I always have to race to get it pruned in time (a race I often lose – see, Debbie, yet more proof I’ve not metamorphosed into Martha! 
). Of course, here in San Diego County, late January is not as weird as it sounds for an apple tree to be blooming!
Comment from
Jennifer Hofmann
Time July 6, 2009 at 9:34 pm
You are amazing. What I wouldn’t do to be on your back deck with you and a slice of that pie – admiring your handiwork on the now-absent bush.
Jen
Comment from
Grace
Time July 7, 2009 at 10:57 am
Jen – Well, thank you!
The now-absent bush is a great gaping hole. I’m hoping the bushes on either side will fill in quickly and make it less of a mess.
There’s still a few pieces of pie. Come on down!
Comment from
Gina Loree Marks
Time July 9, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Love the visual narrative. Absolutely. now, if only we could have a taste.
Comment from
Grace
Time July 9, 2009 at 7:02 pm
Gina – I’m sorry to say that I ate the last of the pie this afternoon.
I have a suspicion (given the continuing-to-ripen giggles emanating from the tree) that I’ll be doing another batch of butter AND pie this weekend.
Though I’ve just been Twittering with folks about ice cream. Hm. Apple pie ice cream???
Comment from
Gina Loree Marks
Time July 9, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Well, that’s all well and good, but there’s something about the juxtaposition of the hot and gooey apple pie on my tongue along with the cold creamy ice cream that really does it for me…
Pingback from
Svaha Concepts » I did it! Apple pie ice cream!
Time July 13, 2009 at 1:07 pm
[...] the “it sounds like fun” crowd. And since I’m still working my way through the apples from my apple tree (more apple butter and another apple pie this weekend), I thought – why [...]
Comment from Debbie Rodgers
Time July 6, 2009 at 1:42 pm
LOL, Grace: I’m sure Martha’s floor must get sticky from time to time, as well!