The Apple Tree

My parents and little brother came to visit this past weekend. We had a fun time visiting antique shops in Old Town Glendale on Friday and then celebrating my nephew's third birthday on Saturday and my cousin's upcoming departure to Panama on Sunday. It was a pretty full weekend but I did manage to squeeze in a few of my favorite things. Thursday night after dinner, my mom and I left the boys to watch a movie while we spent a couple hours perusing the aisles of JoAnn's.  I have been wanting to buy some patterns for a while but wasn't sure what to get and needed my mom's expertise to help me get started. As the projects are still in the works, here is just a little sneak peek:

Then, Saturday morning, before the party, I convinced my dad to go book shopping with me (ok, so there was actually no convincing involved, it was his idea...).  We went back to Book Gallery in Mesa, the same store where I found my copy of Death Comes for the Archbishop. I loved the store even more upon my second visit and I think it's one that I will be returning to again and again.

I was excited to find this charming little book on the shelves there:

I'll admit now that I had never really heard of John Galsworthy before, or at least not in such a way that made him memorable to me. Apparently, he is considered by some one of the greatest writers of the 20th century (The Forsyte Saga, anyone?).  He wrote extensively and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature 1932. I can't believe I had never read anything by him before!

But, I think The Apple Tree was the perfect story to ease me into his work.  It is a short story, easily read in one sitting or over a day or two, and speaks of first love, lost youth, and not-so-forgotten dreams.  This poem (also written by Galsworthy), introduces the story, and is only a spark of the feeling found in the story itself:

"He thought: 'Those rocks old memories bring;

Yes, surely, 'tis the same!'

Once more, to his remembering,

Over the hill she came,

Modest and pretty as the Spring;

And Megan was her name!"