Late September in PA; the apples are ready.

[Adam Helmer]

My loyal hound is helping me pick apples all over the mountain behind our home. The apples are ripe and dropping to the ground and the deer tracks indicate the deer are eating the drops. That is ok and how it should be.

The trees are turning to soft pastel shades of red, yellow and orange. The gardens are nearly done and all is gathered in. Hunting season is about to begin. I like the pulse of Opening Day and can sense the feelings of the young hunters. Some older folks suit up in the old Woolrich garb and put on over the coats the obligatory "hunter orange" to be legal. Some old guys still carry a few old Roll Crimp shells afield from the 1960s and then carefully put them away for another season..... I have a few old Federal Monarch Low Brass shells and a few Super-X High Brass paper shells that have hunted as long and far as I have trekked. Happily, I recently came upon and acquired a nifty 20 Gauge single barrel shotgun made by "Iver Johnson Bicycle Works". This old veteran (circa 1910) will see days afield this Fall. Old shotguns deserve to be afield.

Adam