Many apple trees have died but those that remain connect me to the past. As I walk through the orchard it is easy to imagine the farmer and his wife walking with me. They are ghosts who live on the land. There is an inexplicable pull between people who have shared work and gathered apples in the same orchard. Today, cottages dot the perimeter of the orchard, framing the history of this farm. Knowing about these pioneers raises my enjoyment of this property. By creating this series of paintings, I feel I have been a witness to their lives.