Strawberries, Apples and Dirt

I feel the hot summer sun shining on my face as I gently step into my granny's garden.

I'm here for two things; one sweet and delicious and one tart and sour.

I look and see a bright flash of red; they're ready!

There is now dirt covering my bare feet, and my hands, and flecks of it on my face as I grab the strawberries straight from her garden.

These delicious berries are so sweet and juicy with a hint of a crunch.

There is also a deep earthy taste to these beautiful berries that accompany a gritty aftertaste. I do not mind this at all, I welcome it. This taste will imprint in my memories for years to come.

After my cousins and I have had our fill we gently skip through the garden careful not to squish the other plants for our granny would have our hides.

Just to the right and off the edge of the garden is a medium-sized granny Smith apple tree.

There she stands.

A marker for the in-between of my granny and grandma's house. My cousins and I have waited for weeks for her to bloom and now her branches hang with full, rich, happy apples full of flavor.

We make a game to see who can climb the tree the highest and pick the highest apple.

As I bite in I taste the apple's sourness and relish its tart juice that fills my mouth and excites my taste buds.

My cousins and I find baskets or buckets and pick some sweet, red strawberries and some light, crisp apples.

And with that, both our days and our bellies are happy and content.