I lingered beneath the fruit stand's striped canvas awning to find something special for my little harvest basket. Resting on the weathered cedar crate beside a towering stack of apples, a tiny, round lady apple had rolled onto a clean sampling board. With gentle paws, I picked up a fresh green leaf that had fallen onto the wood and tucked it neatly across the basket's chipwood bottom. Then, I carefully cradled the miniature red apple and nestled it right in the center. Its glossy skin gleamed brightly against the golden star sticker, making our little basket look like a perfect autumn showcase.