It's the beginning of what I call "apple time" here in Bavaria. I learned about it first in Indiana. The apples on the trees begin to redden at the cheeks, the light turns more golden, and perhaps a little moody. Evenings cool, and the earth and its inhabitants seem focussed and gravid. Nuts on trees show promise, and mushrooms bloom.
Personally, I can weather any cold with a warm fire and a kitty in my lap. I'm wearing a deep pile jacket and have a down throw and an adoring kitty, with the back door open to let the katydid sounds and fresh air in.
It's amazingly beautiful to me, to look forward to apples and have cool nights. It was what I dreamed about back home. Now I bike past forests of ripe blackberries and cranberries, and check my favorite apple trees, and watch the wheat and barley dry down.
The vintners take the early fall grapes in and sugar them, starting the fermentation. Green wine and cider are available for those hard of head. I can't touch it, splits my noggin in two.
Fests are here and there and everywhere. Tents and toasted meat are everpresent.
Cars tuck into the entries of forest trails as the older folks go in to pick berries and mushrooms. It's quite the pastime here. No one is thought strange for it. Older folks interview me and even check my mushrooms for me, given a chance. It's hard to get their dialects, but even the best educated of folks will stop and chat, particularly in this area. America is deep in their cultural images, as the liberators, the givers of Coca-Cola and Hershey's Chocolate.

I can only accept the history and keep my eyes open to the future, as America deals with her own version of fascism.. how come every Communist nation, with a government Of and For the People, ends up with a dictator? is capitalist representative democracy headed the same way?


http://www.hightowerlowdown.org/node/835
http://civic.moveon.org/save_the_internet/
http://www.tfn.org/
http://www.brazosriver.com/index.html


I love apple time. I just hate the bad apples.
The fun part, I suppose, is throwing them at OTHER bad apples.

*evil grin*