The first apple tree

In our first house there was an apple tree, an orchard to be precise. In our second home there was another apple tree, with green small fruits, very different from the pictures you see in magazines. We could climb it and I remember it quite tall.

There was an apple tree in the vineyard, an old variety called "Annurca" that Grandpa has planted. There were apples in our favorite cake, named "Carla", backed with Reinette apple, which melt while cooking and are difficult to find.

There are apple trees on the border of the Alzette river, in the oldest part of Luxembourg city center, close to the Abbey walls. They are a reminder of a country that use to have millions of them before Napoleon, and it's now starting to plant them back to restore the former glory. In the Norther part of Europe,apples are a symbol of prosperity and rebirth after a long winter. Flowers give apple honey, fruits are used for meat, sweets and Cider, which is gaining back popularity.

There was an apple tree in my neighbor’s house, a beautiful plant full of blossom in Luxembourgish spring. One day in March the house with the garden were sold and the tree was gone, to make space for a condo. I was furious and felt powerless. Then I went to the closest garden center and bought an apple tree, it has been in my garden since. It's blooming today.