It's been a big weekend in Riverton. Saturday's high school ball has been much anticipated and prepared-for; dresses sewn, dances practised, hair, make-up, shoes, jewellery and goodness knows what else organised and expectation heightened. Mum and Dad Guyton scrubbed-up sufficiently well as to not shame their daughter and stayed for the Grand Parade, firing-off photos of their gorgeous daughter in her pinky-peach-shot-with-pearls ball-gown, then slinking back home for a snooze in readiness for the early-morning transport obligations that come with the after-ball. If that weren't enough for a father of three like me, I had already done an honest day's work selling fruit trees to all comers, down in the town on a 'village green' that was open to the elements, and Saturday's elements were quite challenging! A cold wind battered me about as I wrapped apple, nectarine, fig, plum and pear trees and lugged them to the waiting cars of would-be orchardists from all over Southland. It was fun and I enjoyed talking with all of those people who are looking ahead to the time when fruit will be not so easy to get as it is now. Sunday was more of the same, with half of the 500 trees still needing to be wrapped and carried and so here I am now, mostly finished and feeling weary, however, my dancing daughter, having tripped the light fantastic all night and into the late morning, got up at 8 and went into town to support the hip-hop team she'd been training! Where does that energy come from?
Tonight, the Guyton's will rest. There's a good looking film on television and I've plenty of dry wood stacked on the veranda, begging to sacrifice itself for our pleasure.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
Rg, you dont let us down. Came in from some graft/gardening/weed clearing hoping some pithy piece from yourself would cheer us up - whammo!
Glad you enjoyed your labours, and certainly agree we need to be aplanting for the future.
I look at our 45 year old Ballarat apple tree that has produced faithfully each year with only the ocassional 'rest'. Stewing the apples from the wooden? apple box several months after harvest - and there is no need to add sugar for the resultant smash is delectable as is.
PS - I'm not telling it I have bought another tree to plant. No need to upset it is there!
Ballarat - nice apple and good to hear of another out there Fred. Those fluff-upping cooking apples are gold and amazingly, there are people (lots of them too) who don't know, haven't had the pleasure of a plate-full of hot pulped apple delight. I really like the peasegood nonsuch and am missing the taste as I type.
What's your new tree? A bit of competition won't harm your resident tree. Maybe it'll stir it to greater production! I'm not one for beating walnuts but there are more subtle means to stimulate fruitfulness.
I don't do change very well,Rg, so I have another Ballarat - maybe next time I'll get something different!!
I guess you will understand - I talk to trees.
We have an ancient Silver Dollar Gum on the drive so each time I pass in my wee garden tractor I catch hold of a branch and tell it what a great tree it is!!
Had a large plate of the smushy apple for afternoon 'smoko' today. Still some left for tomorrow.
Might I recommend a Dipton Redburst Fred?
It's an attractive cooker/eater that we found as a road-side tree near the town Bill English used to call home. It's a very attractive apple -yellow, with a 'star-burst' of red around the crown.
If you do plant one, and given your propensity for talking to trees, ask it "Where's Bill?"
:-)
Thanks, Rg, will do. If it turns up its toes does that means it is missing Bill?
No one would miss Bill, bar Mary and co.
:-)
Post a Comment