How Do Ya Like Them Apples?

How Do Ya Like Them Apples?

“How do ya like them apples?” After a really cursory google search, I found that this phrase may have originated in WWI, and has been used since the 1920s. For some reason, I am familiar with it, maybe through books or movies I have seen. It is not a straight forward question, as many of you already know. In fact, I would say it carries more than a little bit of irritation or sarcasm.

We have lived in our home for 21 years now. Our kids grew up here, for the most part, and it now seems too big for us. We have a small orchard that we planted years ago, and it produces loads of apples, peaches, pears, and some other fruit too. The problem for us is that we don’t have the time or energy to take proper care of it anymore. We don’t get it sprayed, pruned, or harvested, and lots of ugly, bug- and bird-eaten fruit goes to waste. We feed a little to the cows, and we do manage to pick up some of it, but it is way more than we can manage.

22" x 30"

Painted with the finest quality heavy-body acrylic paint on acid-free, heavy weight Fabriano watercolor paper

Ready to frame

For a more representational painter, I think this painting would be just a first step – shapes blocked in with a lot more work to come. I might eventually go back in and paint more, but this is definitely what I pictured when I started working on this one today. These lumpy, ugly yellow and red-black apples from our orchard were just what I wanted to paint.  

Philippians 4:19 “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

I am so glad that God supplies all of our needs according to HIS riches. I mean, I am pretty sure His ‘orchard’ is burgeoning with fruit, and it is not ugly, bug-eaten fruit, either! And He supplies according to His ‘apples’, not according to my need. He is always more than faithful!