8 Comments
User's avatar
Vernelle J Judy's avatar

Brought tears to my eyes...not only for you, the tree, your mom, but also for myself. Hitting the age of 80 in a few weeks is like hitting a wall. Age happens. We are lucky to have it. Enjoy your apple sauce and the Gravenstein blessing bestowed.

Expand full comment
Tom Titus's avatar

Happy Birthday, Vernelle! And thank you for this wonderful comment. Yes, we are lucky to have an aging process. The mayfly model is a bit brief by my reckoning.

Expand full comment
Marina Richie's avatar

You take me deeper into Gravenstein apples and home and your mom than I've ever experienced--right down into your very bones...Growing up moving so often, I never had a home apple tree, yet even so...I'm evoking memories of my Dad making his homemade applesauce with a dash of cinnamon every year...Thank you.

Expand full comment
Tom Titus's avatar

I’m happy that our bones share applesauce and so much else!

Expand full comment
Kaja M's avatar

Funny I was thinking about our apples and pear trees, we also had walnuts and 70 filbert trees. Plums I don't know the names of the variety of apples but we called one a Banana Apple. It was yellow and very sweet and soft. It was my favourite, The other was a Green apple that made the best apple pies. It's bittersweet that I will never get back and see that farm again. But it doesn't resemble where I grew up at all. The memories mostly make me smile anyway, and that will do.

Expand full comment
Tom Titus's avatar

Memories make stories, and those are what glue us together, even though our current circumstances have changed so dramatically. Thank you for sharing!

Expand full comment
Lori Heacock Dilling's avatar

Love this Tom, the Heacock homestead still has 2 Gravensteins, they are the best apples. Thanks for the reminders to appreciate the family culture we were fortunate to grow up in.

Expand full comment
Tom Titus's avatar

Thanks, Lori! I appreciate our shared upbringing, and that it now includes Gravensteins.

Expand full comment