Day 5 - Thirty - Thirty six

     My sister-in-law picked me up for a (30) drive around the valley, seeing her old haunts, catching up on what's new. She kept remarking about how big the trees had gotten in certain areas and telling me who used to live in what house, what was missing and what was new. We went up (and I mean up) a road where she wanted to check out a house she had been interested in before it sold. This is a (31) view coming back down the hill. That's a long way down, but it sure is pretty.

      A little while later, we were on the other side of that valley.  There are quite a few (32) ranch and (33) farm houses to see, along with (34) cattle, (35) horses and (36) sheep. My kind of valley. So, there we were, driving along the east side and suddenly she yells, "APPLES!" She stops the car in the middle of the road, puts it in reverse and starts backing up. We are the only car on the road at the time. "Couldn't do that where I live," she says. DUH!  She lives in a big city. Anyway, she backs up to the apple tree, parks the car along the side of the road and gets out and picks apples. I need to look for a bumper sticker for her car that says, "This car stops at Apple Trees." The same thing happened on our walk to town yesterday. I think she has built in apple radar! She keeps one out of the bag and asks if I'd like one. Sure, I say. She thanks God for the apples in a beautiful Jewish prayer and we take our first bite. Juicy, but a little tart. Better for pies or applesauce. We each eat about half (really, it's all we can take) and then toss the rest in the field for the critters.

     The best part of the whole afternoon was spending it with her. She is a special lady and I am so thankful and blessed to have her in my life.

     Wishing you a peaceful sleep, Deborah