Grandpa Dallas Matheson's
apple orchard grew above the frost line
on Shewbird Mountain.
Each fall he took the sled
through the woods glowing
with orange, ruby, and lemon leaves
to pick the apples:
the black beauty, horse apple, hog sweet,
red June, striped May, pumpkin apple,
queen pippin, pound apple, and Ben Davis.
The grandchildren climbed the trees
and picked dozens of fruit,
every red, yellow, and red striped apple.
They made apple cider, apple butter,
and Ma Minnie's dried apple stack cake
and apple dumplings melted in your mouth.
--Brenda Kay Ledford
