Doesn't that look YUMMY?!

I have a veritable orchard in my enormous sideyard, or at least as much of an orchard that a person living on a third of an acre has any right to expect! I have two apple trees, one red and one green variety, and a pear tree. I think I may also have a cherry tree in the front yard, but I've never seen it bear fruit.

The first year I was here, Kurt was still out on deployment when my fruit first ripened, and I was still figuring out my friendship with J. She came over and helped me harvest it, and we spent an afternoon making apple butter and apple sauce. I sent lots of it to various relatives as Christmas presents.

I always associate autumn with the season of Kurt's return now. Granted, around this time last year he was already home from Great Lakes, but he was gone again right after the baby was born for six weeks down to San Diego. So again, I was picking him up on a brisk fall afternoon, as I did the year before when his ship returned from an eight-month deployment. As I will also do in another few months when he returns from this six-month deployment. Maybe next summer he'll actually be home, and we can have a lawn because he'll be here to mow it.

There's a chance that Kurt may be home in time for Halloween. It's still just a rumor at this point, and I'm afraid to set my mind up for it. So I still work with the original November 5th Homecoming date, but secretly I hope.

Maybe this time my hopes won't be dashed, as they so frequently are.