Have an apple

Stolen, stolen be your apples

 

The weekend was HOT over the weekend! I was visiting my sister in CT and we went to an apple orchard near her on Sunday evening. My sister stuck her hand out the car window and grabbed a couple of apples on the way out. I put them on my lap and off we went...

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The sun setting over a Connecticut valley.

The Longview cider house and Rogers apple orchards

were absolutely beautiful! We watched the sun set over a valley filled with apple orchards and farms and when we turned around the almost full moon was rising over the trees.

It was a stunning evening!

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My sister and I had reserved a fire pit back in September when she was visiting my house on Labor Day. It had room for 6 and we intended on inviting my cousins but they were all busy. My sister invited her daughter's boyfriend's mother and she brought her sister along. It was 2 sets of sisters. I hadn't met either one of them before but it was nice to talk with them. 

We ended up asking for the fire to be put out because it was nearly 90 degrees even though we were there from 4:00-6:30!

Once the sun began to set a little breeze picked up and it cooled off slightly. We had a lovely time and I really enjoyed getting to know the ladies.

I'm the one in the hat.

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My sister and I are very different in personality and temperament. We have always loved each other and been there for one another but have had challenges in our relationship. When my mother was alive she and my sister were very close and that sometimes prevented my sister and I from becoming closer as adults. Since my mother's death in 2021 we have been working toward building a closer relationship. We're not really a "talk it through" kind of a family so it's mostly just being together, enjoying each other's company, and knowing that we come from the same memories. There is definitely love and care between us but we are very different. 

Anyway, I was visiting her last weekend and her cat kept coming up to me for pets, which he doesn't normally do. He has the prettiest green eyes.

I'm so thankful for my sister and though she has very challenging health struggles I'm grateful that she is still here and that we get a chance to spend time together. 

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I noticed while I was with my sister and the other ladies that each of them had a health issue that they struggled with. My sister struggles with cancer and the side effects of her radiation, one of the ladies had a stroke a few years back, and the other had a hip replacement that limits her balance and movement. Each of them had a life changing health issue that forced them to change the way they live. I think I was a year or two older than all of them but I was in the best health. 

I am eternally grateful for that. Truly, truly thankful for my ability to get around with relative ease and live a relatively pain free life. 

I don't have any idea why some of us are stricken with health issues and others are not but it made me appreciate my health more and vow to take better care of myself. 

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Friday fave fives