Thursday - Hula Peaches and Woodpile Negotiations

[ninanevermore]

Today on my drive into work, I was thinking that I almost forgot to document that spring has arrived in my backyard. The peach trees and the dewberry vines have confirmed it. Spring sprung earlier this year than last, by almost a full week, if you ask the peach trees. One of my two trees blooms earlier than the other, and it already has baby peaches on it. The other is just now starting to shed its blossoms.



From a distance, they aren't much to look at. My peach tree in bloom is all flower and almost no leaf:


When you look at the flowers up close, though, they are quite lovely. My favorite thing about them is that they already smell vaguely like the peaches they will become.







The fruit on the early blooming tree is far from being a pie or a cobbler. They will wind up the size of tangerines, but right now they are more the size of blueberries. This last weekend, most of them were still wearing their dead blossoms like tiny hula skirts, but by now they will have shed them.

Hula Peach:


Naked Peach:


The skirt I stole from the above peach:


In other news, the dewberry vines (with their vicious thorns) have taken over the woodpile, and have announced that they aren't giving it back without a fight.



I am having diplomatic discussions with them, and my offer is that they can stay until next winter, provided they give me enough berries for a cobbler that I can bake for my Dad for his birthday in May. They told me they will do their best.



I will let you know if they deliver or not.


* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * # * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Comments

almost a full week

[regatomic.livejournal.com]

we're almost a week later than last year,.. things were popping buds /leaves this time last year and they are sleeping in still,..:)

Re: almost a full week

[neanahe.livejournal.com]

Now I know what happened: we stole a week of your spring!

[jenelycam.livejournal.com]

Awesome photos!! I've never seen peach blossoms before. They're gorgeous!! ^^

[neanahe.livejournal.com]

Aren't they? I always hate to see them go, but am consoled by the knowledge that I will get peaches to help me through my grief for them.

[l-l-u-w-d.livejournal.com]

Dewberries! I haven't seen those in ages. I can only hope to be able to find some up here in VA. I remember getting up godawful early in the morning once they started getting ripe, and then crawling the ditches and edges of the woods gathering those sweet berries, and we always managed to get enough to make some jam, a couple of cobblers, and freeze some. Recent years, they have been harder and harder to find though. But, then again, so has the gumption and ambition to actually get out there that early in the morning to go hunting for them.

I am especially partial to dewberries, though, being as how my maiden name makes up part of their nomenclature.

[neanahe.livejournal.com]

The most memorable thing about picking dewberries for me has always been the part where the thorns on the vines flay you alive.

But they're worth it. :)

[l-l-u-w-d.livejournal.com]

Oh, most definitely! I'd come home with scratches all over my legs, hands and arms, and with my mouth stained from all the berries I'd eaten while picking them. LOL It's a wonder we ever did have enough for making all we did with them, but we did. I am seriously going to go hunting for some this year.

[jaiden-z.livejournal.com]

Great pix. Wish spring would hurry up and get to my backyard.

[neanahe.livejournal.com]

Give it time. The Spring Equinox was a week ago, so the warm weather can't be too far behind. ^_^

[kira-snugz.livejournal.com]

ohh your peach trees are gorgeous. when we buy a house i plan on having a few peach trees in the yard, just for the flowers. (and admittedly, the sweet sweet fruit)

[neanahe.livejournal.com]

The flowers only last a couple of week, but I love them while they last. My two trees were there when we bought the house, and I fear they are getting close to the end of their lifespan. I need to plant a couple more to ease my sadness when there guys are gone.

While you're at it, plant a pear tree, too. They are resplendent visions of while flowers when they in bloom (and their fruit ain't too bad, either).

Magic

[noblwish.livejournal.com]

That first one of the wood pile is just beautiful!

Re: Magic

[neanahe.livejournal.com]

The dewberries do add a touch of grace and elegance to a pile of old logs, don't they?

Re: Magic

[noblwish.livejournal.com]

That they do!

[hermes-wade.livejournal.com]

Very pretty! I am driving home this weekend, and am SO looking forward to seeing all the wildflowers and other blooming things along my way.

[neanahe.livejournal.com]

Lucky you! You get to drive through some beautiful country to get home, esp. this time of year when the wildflowers turning pastures into to blankets of blue and red and yellow. I'm jealous. ^_~

[sm00bs.livejournal.com]

Ooh fresh peaches! I'm so jealous. We had a peach tree while growing up (as well as a garden, a strawberry patch, and various berry bushes). Your summer will be pure heaven!

[neanahe.livejournal.com]

I won't argue. They are smaller than the commercial varieties, but much, much sweeter. Yum!

[sm00bs.livejournal.com]

Last year we were planning to go to Weatherford for the peach festival (at least, I think it was Weatherford) but it didn't happen (just a one day festival and something else was going on but I don't recall what). We were able to pick up some locally grown peaches at the farmer's market, thankfully. OMG so worth it! I'll be hunting them down again this year, for certain!