I took this shot in September. This was early morning when the marine layer that so often shrouds our Malibu coastline still had long to burn off, and the sunlight was just filtering the fog.

It was unusual for the apples to be so ripe this soon in the season, well before it was officially Fall. As always with the mysteries of nature the apples had seemed to mature and plump over night. And so when I stepped through the screen door onto my porch to see this particular cluster prominently poised through a veil of mist, I grabbed the camera and hurried to the orchard with our three dogs to capture the magnificence of the fruit.

As I photographed this seemingly bejeweled bough, my canine helpers sniffed the damp soil under my feet and seemed to relish the glimpse of autumn just as much as I. That week, our kitchen savored of the sweet smell of a simple applesauce that fed our neighbors, family and us! You don’t have to harvest apples to taste a sweet moment of nature’s bounty.

Applesauce :

Five large apples

1 cinnamon stick

½ C brown sugar         ¼  – ½ C water

Hand held electric blender

Peel, core and quarter the apples. Cover in water.  Break and crumble in the cinnamon stick and add the sugar. Bring to a boil, then lower to simmer. Cover for approximately 20 minutes or until soft.  Remove from heat, and blend with hand held blender.  Pour into sterilized jars and set in a cool place.