Apple Picking Time

For a long time I have been saying that I found out life is a series of stages. I believe it. One of the early stages of my life was just-out-of-college teacher of English and French to high school Juniors and Seniors. A favorite unit for me was American Literature and Robert Frost, poet extraordinaire. I could go on and on here, but this is enough of a preface to my point here.

The cooler mornings and the cover of Southern Living Magazine set me off on this tangent. There are beautiful photos in the magazine of decadent looking desserts made with apples as a central ingredient. Apples equal Fall, right? Robert Frost, a New Englander, grew apples in the beautiful New England countryside and sometimes his very conversational poetry included reference to the apple-picking time of year and the process of harvest. Look up his poem "After Apple-Picking" to see how he felt at the end of the harvest. He saw the serious side of life as well as the humorous side of some situations. Enjoy this one of his not-so-long poems that reflects and everyday event:

The Cow in Apple Time
Something inspires the only cow of late
To make no more of a wall than an open gate,
And think no more of wall-builders than fools.
Her face is flecked with pomace and she drools
A cider syrup. Having tasted fruit,
She scorns a pasture withering to the root.
She runs from tree to tree where lie and sweeten
The windfalls spiked with stubble and worm-eaten.
She leaves them bitten when she has to fly.
She bellows on a knoll against the sky.
Her udder shrivels and the milk goes dry.*

Having included this poem in a newsletter doesn't necessarily mean that I will never do that again, especially if I think of another Robert Frost poem that suits the situation. Thanks for indulging me.

Sara 

*You Come Too, Favorite Poems for Readers of All Ages, Robert Frost; Owl Books,
Henry Holt and Company; New York

H&C Feature of the Week: One Notion
At Heirlooms & Comforts this week we will feature one notions item of your choice at 25% off. You can choose which item you wish to purchase from the notions wall and racks in the notions area of the store. There are rulers, scissors, pins, hand needles, marking tools, cutters, replacement blades, etc. This is for you to decide what you wish to save money on. In stock items only are included in this feature.

Quilts to Sell
Many of you know about our friend Ann Willis. She is our elderly friend who quilts to supplement her disability income and to be able to "work every day for her living." This lady has a work ethic that is classic. She has recovered enough from recently illnesses and surgeries to be able to quilt again and to finish several quilts. Last week she "hauled" these five quilts in for us to hang and to sell for her to help her pay her living expenses. So, whoever purchases one of these quilts is buying several things: first of all a beautiful product of usefulness; an art object; a means of financial relief for someone who wishes to be self-sufficient; and not least of all sense of having participated in a mission project right here at home for a deserving recipient. Look at the photos and descriptions of these quilts to see if one of them fits a purpose for you. Enjoy the experience of viewing these on line and in person in the shop.

Notable New Item
At Heirlooms & Comforts we have an item that is new to our inventory: 18" Request weight Quilters Dream Batting that is perfect for items like table runners. It is sold by-the-yard making it convenient to purchase just the length you need without waste. Check it out!

Last Week for Specials

This is the last week for taking advantage of several offers from Husqvarna Viking. If you were waiting until the last minute to act on these, the time has come.