I learned so much from my Grandmother. My love of words, numbers, color and flowers were nurtured by her in ways that still effect me today. I miss the garden she loved so much, it was a wonder filled place for me.
Yesterday, in a garden not my own, I was asked many questions about fruit on a tree. My answers were so influenced by my Grandmothers teachings that it felt like she was right there with me. The questions that stood out most were how to pick fruit... How do you get the best, how do you prune etc.
It brought me back to the time I was around nine years old or so, peaches were in season, and Grandma gave permission to pick some. Much to her dismay that year, I got up in the tree and shook off all the peaches, thinking I was helping. She was so heart broken it took her years to allow me near the tree again. At that time, she took me out to the tree and showed me how to properly pick a peach ( with examples of other fruit as well) . Her patience that day was above and beyond any prior, and it all stuck with me throughout the years. Now with her teachings and a few years experience of my own I get to tell others what I know about picking fruit.
Yesterday's tree was a limon, (no, I didn't mis-spell it) a hybrid mix of lemon and lime. The tree was loaded with fruit and I was told that I could have the limons that were ready. ALL of the fruit on that tree was ready ! The owner asked how to tell how fruit was ready, so I passed on the lessons I learned.
A citrus tree needs a bit of a tug to get the ripe fruit. I told him to think of it as hair on your head and the hardest you would want it pulled. He understood that without even thinking, and a few fruits later, he learned it for life. (I thought I could hear my Grandma tell me very good )
Each fruit has its own signal, if you cup a peach for instance, it is ready when it falls off in your hand. Vine fruits like blackberries, are much the same.( Although grapes are in a category all their own) Strawberries on the other hand should be easier to know, the color gives them away. Learning these differences saved me from getting cramps from eating green fruit, a lesson well learned. (Thank you Grandma !)
Well for those of you who have made it through this ramble of mine, it's time for the prompt tease.. Today' Prompt is USE THESE WORDS ( A favorite of ours) , you can see today's words and my effort on Dodge Writes, my poetry blog.
Hope to see you joining in too
ENJOY
JL&B
