Dancing apple trees by Abbott Meader, 2004

Still below zero early, but a light snow came in for much of the day, and it warmed up a bit. Skylar came by, and we went up to the Finley Lane orchard to check out the trees. We walked the rows and listened to what the apple trees had to tell us. As I expected, they were happy to fill us in. They love winter. They were all dancing, spreading their branches in the most wonderful ways, and soaking up that clear winter air. It’s true they’re beautiful in the summertime in all their greenery, and in the fall when they’re decorated with fruit. But in winter they love to dance naked in the snow. They shimmer and vibrate and glow. It’s magical, beautiful, incredible.

In 2004 my college art teacher, Abbott Meader, created a black and white dancing-apple cover for the Fedco Trees catalog. I think he must have been up at Finley checking out our trees. He got it perfect.ly.