Unexpected Perils of a Fruit Picker

Four years ago, we planted two peach trees. Because they are young trees, the yield has been rather small, and a cold snap last year blighted our blossoms resulting in no peaches at all. This year, the limbs were covered with hundreds of peaches. The branches were actually bent over from the weight of the fruit. I got busy planning all of the wonderful things I would do with my bumper crop, but then the rains came. It rained for several days in a row. While it worked to deter me from picking fruit, it did not deter the birds from munching away. Before I knew it, the peaches were falling off the tree, most of them with holes made from the birds and the flies and yellow jackets were in heaven. Finally, the rain stopped and I got to picking. First of all, stepping on over ripe peaches is a bit gross-the way they yield underfoot may remind you of stepping in something else...



Once the over ripe fruit was cleared from the walkway, it was time to fight the myriad of flying insects who were greedily seeking there bit of the pie. Any romantic notions I had about picking fruit in an orchard was put to rest and I have a much greater appreciation for migrant workers who must accept this as a normal part of a day at the office (or orchard). Let us give thanks to these hard workers.

Luckily, we had a family trip planned to Chicago, which got me out of country mode and into a city mindset. We took our son and his buddy to Rock the Bells, an all day hip hop concert. Before getting out of the car, they assured me this was going to be a life changing experience and at the end of the concert, they were planning a way to follow the show, which will travel coast to coast. Yes, it worked to jog my memory-I remember when...While the boys rocked out my husband and I enjoyed a George Gershwin concert at Millennium Park. We all got what we wanted and left in a happy mood.

Just to prove the oven is well underway, I will share a photo of the foundation and arch. Sunday at one, we plan to begin on the dome-if you're in town, stop on by...