Monday, July 7, 2008

The Apple Tree


My husband’s grandfather and grandmother bought a special gift for my daughter, Angie, when she was two years old. It was an apple tree. That apple tree has stood in our side yard for 23 years. It’s not just an apple tree, though. It has special meaning.

It was a beautiful spring day when Grandpa Ray and Grandma Pansy carried a bucket of water, the new tree, and a shovel to our yard. Angie followed them, so eager to help. They helped her pick a spot to plant it, explaining that it needed lots of sunlight. When Grandpa Ray started digging the hole, Angie wanted to help. Since she wasn’t big enough to push the shovel into the ground, Grandpa showed her how to place her foot on top of his and they pushed together. He helped her tenderly place the tree inside. She pushed some dirt into the hole first, and then he finished covering the tree.

Grandma Pansy handed Angie a cup and showed her how to dip the water and pour it around the newly planted tree. Angie watched the water seep into the ground.

Grandpa and Grandma talked about each step of the process as the three of them planted that tree. Angie had lots of questions. They answered each one with patience.

That apple tree flourished. I look out the window and see the small green apples that will make up this year’s harvest. There have been quarts and quarts of apple pie filling made from that one small tree. There were also apple pies and apple butter. Even though the apples are sour to the taste, each year both of my girls have to eat one straight from the tree.

Through the years, there were many hours spent in Grandma Pansy’s kitchen preparing tasty goodies. The kitchen smelled of cinnamon on those days. It was hard waiting to get a taste. My girls didn’t just watch us work. They helped. They turned the apple peeler when they were little, and they filled jars and helped in other ways when they were bigger.

Grandpa Ray and Grandma Pansy are both gone now, but the apple tree remains. So do the memories of all the apples and years past. Good memories. Memories of family time, laughter, and love shared with people near and dear to our hearts.

It was something as simple as planting a tree, but in the process, they created memories.

Create memories. Share with your loved ones… time, laughter, and love. There’s nothing else in the world like it.

4 comments:

Judy said...

Hi Lisa,
You painted a beautiful picture with each paragraph of your post.

I could see them planting the tree, smell the pie baking, and smile that you always have Grandma and Grandpa with you.

Thanks for such a thoughtful moment.
Take care,
Judy
http://www.localfoodconnections.com

Suzanne Lieurance said...

Hi, Lisa,

You are such a wonderful story teller. I could just "see" every step of the tree planting, and then the apple picking, and the pie baking.

We planted a pine tree sapling in our front yard about 20 years ago when my sons were small. These days, when I look outside and see that tree, it always brings back wonderful memories, too. I sure wish it produced apples, though. No pies from a pine tree. :)

Suzanne
The Working Writer's Coach
http://www.workingwriterscoach.com

Carma Dutra said...

Lisa, I loved the way you told this story. How beautiful. Family, Fun and Food are synonomous.
Carma
http://carmaswindow.blogspot.com

LISA HOLDREN said...

Hi Lisa,

This is a terrific blog. Hopefully, every family has something special like this. We also have an apple tree, a Beverly HIlls apple tree that fruits in the summer. Just yesteray I made apple sauce.

Best,
the other Lisa