You have probably learned from my podcasts, that the region where I live is agricultural. It is rural, the communities are small, and its post native american indian roots lie in the apple tree. I realised the other day how I take the apple tree for granted. Not only is it everywhere in this and the surrounding towns, but there are so many businesses built around the fruit. There is a large juicing factory called Tree Top which, of course, uses apples. There is also a special candy, unique to this area, called Aplets and Cotlets. It is similar to Turquish Delight, just a little more rustic, and made of apples and apricots. Then there are businesses that supply the farming industry, the apple art and collectibles products, clothing, and the Apple Blossom Festival in the spring. There is always something on the calendar that has something to do with the apple. My husband is a fruit broker, believe it or not, and so I hear every day about conditions of apples, how they are being shipped abroad, and the global market. I visited his office this weekend, and came across some apple box labels that originated in this region. They were framed, and displayed in a group of about twenty. Though no longer in use, they reflect some of the history and culture of the inland Northwest. Native American indians feature on several of them, which makes sense; most of the towns in this area have Native American names, and were originally established by indians. Other labels show aspects of the landscape, such as mountains or rivers, and one is even called Trout, after the fish which is found abundantly here.Grammar notes.Related vocabulary and expressions: post, to take for granted, rustic, believe it or not.1. That is a post-war novel; it was written after the war.2. I took our big garden for granted. Now we don't have one, so I really appreciate what we used to have.3. The house is very rustic. It is not elegant or polished; it is simple and earthy.4. That very short man is, believe it or not, an excellent basket ball player.

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