It would be a shame if none of my apple orchard shoots this year included Bramley apples, since that is the apple variety this region is best known for. They're not as visually striking as the bright red Katys or the madcap crab apples we find growing wild, but the Bramley is the working apple of this county. It's a baking apple, perfect in tarts and ciders (some of these apples will end up in your Magners); when cooked they become golden and fluffy. Apparently, the Bramley apples are a bit small this year, but they still seem enormous to me when compared to the size you usually find in supermarkets--and I could barely fit six in my basket! This is probably the last time I'll use my basket until spring rolls around. Basket bags just strike me as a very summery accessory and retiring it for autumn and winter gives me a good excuse to use some of the other handbags I own that have been neglected of late. I really do think treating your closet as seasonal (whether pieces are strictly seasonal or not) is a great way to stay inspired with what you own. I've been loving getting all of my favorite knits out of storage lately; it feels like I went shopping but really it's just finding pieces I haven't seen for nearly six months! Even my berets feel fresh after a summer in straw hats.
CONVERSATION