Apples for the pigs

We have a number of mature apple trees by the house and along the drive.

A curtain of apple tree by lamplight

They’re full of life – lots of suckers and lots of apples – despite showing signs of suffering from the drought.

The apples drop and become playthings for the dogs and treacherous ball bearings for me to skate on.

The reason the apples are disregarded is that they’re not very nice to eat. They’re hard and dry. I think they improve as they ripen, but they tend to fall before that happens. A lot of them are out of reach as the trees are so tall.

I think they’re what the French call ‘pommes aux cochons’ – apples for the pigs.

I was watering near one of the trees this evening and I noticed just how attractive it is by the light of the lamp.