Cherry, Cherry

I'd like to say it was intentional, but more like fantastic and blessed timing that our vacation in Door County last week coincided with the nearly imminent Cherry harvest.

We drove past many Orchards on the quiet State highways before finally stopping at the Seaquist Orchard not too far south of Ellison Bay.

While there was a Market offering all things cherry (ice cream, syrup, freshly picked, jams & jellies, knickknacks) the orchard adjacent to the parking lot caught my eye.

It can't be said with complete certainty, but I don't believe I had ever seen a cherry orchard up close before.  When I was in Washington, D.C. I missed the blossoming and if I drove by these trees while in Michigan a time or two, I was moving too fast or the fruit wasn't quite ripe.

Even in the pictures, they look like you could just pluck one from a branch and pop it in your mouth.  (No, I didn't do such a thing to the trees in the Seaquist Orchard.

There are all kinds of cherries and uses for them.  For some reason, I associate cherries primarily with cough syrup.  It's a reason I don't care for Dr. Pepper or Cherry Coke.

However, when confronted with acres of luscious, delicious fruit ripe and ready to eat - it's time to turn a new leaf and pop one into my mouth.