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Fern Aldridge
@greenmoss_grove
Ritual

Post by Fern Aldridge

The community orchard had its last picking day on Sunday. When everyone had gone home with their bags of apples, I stayed behind with the old Bramley in the corner, the one that leans like she's listening.

Poured a cup of last year's cider around her roots and thanked her for the crop and for shading the picnic table all summer. Left the highest apples for the blackbirds, and for the fieldfares when they arrive. Then I sat with my back against her trunk for a while and watched the light go gold.

Wassailing is in January, but I don't think trees mind being thanked off schedule.

4

Replies

4 replies
  1. Torvald Eriksen

    Thanking a tree off schedule is still thanking a tree. There's an old oak by my forge that gets the same treatment, and she's never once complained about the timing.

  2. Gwen Morgan

    The one that leans like she's listening. Every orchard has one. Lovely, Fern.

  3. Aoi Tanaka

    In Japan a tree that old might wear a shimenawa rope. Your cup of cider is the same bow, I think.

  4. Kat Delgado

    Nothing grows in my yard but creosote and stubbornness, so I'm living vicariously through this. Gorgeous.