Oratia Beauty

This is one of the earliest apples of the season, Oratia Beauty.

New season apples started appearing several weeks ago. They come with a tinge of sadness for me as they remind us that the steady turn of seasons is happening. Stone fruit still rule but apples will rule longer.

Growing up we had 4 apple trees. Dad knew no's 2, 3 and 4 - Golden Delicious, Splendour and Granny Smith but the first to ripen he wasn't sure about. I suspect it was Oratia Beauty.

We returned from holiday at the end of January and they were nearly ripe. As the school year started and we begun our term time routine, the first new apples appeared in our lunch boxes. Striking red and green apples, eye watering tart and crisp. Dad always chose out a few he polished and said to give to our teachers.

I ignore the rest of the new apples. Their time will come and I adore stone fruit (to my peril). But when I see Oratia Beauty I buy them. They remind me of Dad, hot summers and the unnamed apple tree.

I'm afflicted with a low level virus that has me coughing and aching. Crisp clean bed linen await me.

Christchurch/Canterbury blippers, I shall have to pass on tomorrow's blip meet :-(