Apple Bonkers.

ahhh.....that's better. I love Fall. I love the way the light changes, I love the way the air smells. Say what you will about our rainfall, the Pacific Northwest has glorious autumns! We have been spending a lot of time with our apples trees this week. Picking, sorting, pressing. Apples for cider, apples for eating, a fair number of apples for the squirrels, crows and assorted other critters that inhabit our yard. Apples, apples, apples.

One of the more unique features of Autumn is the seasonal occurrence of the Apple Bonkers. Two of our big trees overhang our house, right over our bedroom. Starting around the middle of august and continuing right up through the equinox we hear them. Mysterious creatures of the night who climb our apple trees and hurl apples at the roof. Big apples. Apples the size of small grapefruits whizzing from the upper branches some six or eight feet above the pitch of the roof. Hitting the roof with such force that a person exhausted from working more than one job, or having been up all night with a sick kid, or in fact, heavily medicated due to an unfortunate encounter with a patch of barnacles; will be startled awake and leap from the bed. The dog will bark, the children will call out from their rooms. The Apple Bonkers will laugh. At least that is what I imagine is happening. Tall thin animations bonking apples on the roof. It might be raccoons, or really big squirrels. But my money is on Apple Bonkers.

In any case we do love out trees. The apples, cherries and plums make for many tasty desserts. In a year when the rest of the garden performed in a spectacularly bad fashion, the trees did not let us down. In honor of the Autumnal Equinox, in the spirit of balance. In an attempt to placate the Apple Bonkers, here is one of my favourite little songs. I cannot find a link to anyone performing is so you will have to imagine it. The words are lovely on their own.

TREE WASSAIL

We praise the trees, strong may you grow
We praise your roots that downward go
We praise your branches reaching high
Bearing leaves that touch the sky.

CHORUS:
In the Spring, with blossoms crowned,
In fall, apples ripe and round,
Bless the flower, and bless the seed,
And bless the fruit of every tree.

May Winter’s cold to you be kind
May you blossom in the Spring sunshine
May gentle rain in its season fall,
May you be loved by one and all.

We thank you for your blossoms sweet,
We thank you for the fruit we eat,
Receive our thanks for all you give,
Grow in joy, long may you live.

words by Starhawk, music by Anne Hill