It’s that time of year again.  For as long as I can remember this has always been one of my favorite seasons.  The transition from summer to fall.  You get those cool crisp mornings and sun warmed afternoons.  The leaves are well on their way to changing.  A time of year where tuesday and thursday afternoons should be reserved for running races.  A time of year where I desperately want to own a cyclocross bike and zoom around on tacky single track on my mountain bike.  When tights come out at morning training and somedays you can see your breath on your way to the range.

….but mostly… its apple season.

I remember as far back as kindergarden in Vermont.  Getting to go to an apple orchard and filling  our baskets with beautiful crisp apples straight from the trees.  Once we moved to Wisconsin we were lucky enough to have friends that farmed and they would always send us home with brown paper bags full of apples, corn, and an assortment of squash and pumpkins.  Some times we would even venture further north to the orchards around Bayfield and pick our fill of apples and drink cider until our hearts content.

Seasons each have their own sensations.  When the first snow falls here I’ll want to be curled up in a blanket in my fleece socks on a cozy chair (preferably located by a wood stove) hot chocolate in hand…and count the flakes.  On these crisp days I want nothing more than freshly made apple sauce.  Apple cider, apple pie, apple crisp…apple pancakes!!!

A week ago we drove to Peru Vermont to pick our own pecks of apples.  Filled the bags right to the brim and then some.  I’ve been baking away ever since.  I’m all out of apples for the moment and despite the rain I know  I will be out this afternoon on my bike filling my backpack with even more…