a p p l e s

I was very lucky to visit upstate New York recently just at the start of the apple season. The sunshine was so beautiful; the leaves' colour just beginning to turn. I had great hotdogs from stands and smoothly delicious apple juice, and met some lovely people. There were a couple of hours when I just lay in the very warm sun under a tree and read a book. I haven't done that for ages and it was bliss (Parade's End, as it happens). The town of Ithaca is pretty beautiful -- so quiet and calm, and full of beautiful things. I came back with a huge reading list, and feeling pretty restored that there are good people in the world. Although physically coming back straight into teaching has been brutal, I think this trip set me up to keep my head above water in spirits.