nos·tal·gia noun \nä-ˈstal-jə, nə- also nȯ-, nō-; nə-ˈstäl-\
: pleasure and sadness that is caused by remembering something from the past and wishing that you could experience it again
– Merriam-Webster Dictonary
The boys and I recently visited one of the few remaining Pick-Your-Self apple farms in Sebastopol. Nostalgia, how do I feel you? Let me count the ways.
Firstly, my family orchard in Watsonville where I grew up knowing the creases and crooks of the apple trees which made up my imaginary fleet of airplanes/pegasus/rocket ships was recently torn down and turned into raspberry fields. (We are in fact burning many of those old familiar apple trees in our fireplace this winter, one last bittersweet good-bye.)
Secondly, I’m watching our two boys have this fleeting, familiar experience as they munched crisp apples, wiping the juice off their chubby chins with the back of their little hands, pointing excitedly at the next piece of derelict farm equipment to explore. Ben, our oldest, I still remember you as a little babe, laying back in an antique family perambulator, munching apples as we rolled through the orchard on the family farm. And now you are almost five, a veritable little boy, grinning at each new challenge. Jake, you are our little cherub, with your wrinkled brow, punctuated by bright shining dimples and a love for all things delicious that can cross those sweet little lips.
Thirdly, I’m looking out across the Sebastopol valley to see the surrounding farms full of vineyards, making this farm an obvious island in the march of time. At the grocery store I mentioned our visit to this farm and a woman who had just been showing me a photo of her two week old grandson said, “Oh yes, I took my kids there!” How much longer will we have this historic gem?
The happy news is that we can visit the farm whenever we like through the end of the year, as one of the company members so graciously stated. The boys and I will return as much as our busy lives allow. And I’m hoping to take a few special folks there to document their families in a truly nostalgic way. Email me soon!
