Fruit harvest

It was a warm evening so I was outside reading, and enjoying the tranquillity and scenery of the valley, as the sun started to disappear and reflect golden on the mountains.

Then my husky cross Millie started a low growl; the sort of growl she gives when, while not feeling threatened, everything is not quite how it should be. The subject of Millie’s disquiet were two of my neighbours, David and Gregorio who had arrived with baskets and a ladder to pick the cherries off the large tree next to the acequia. This tree is too large to be netted, so they needed to try and beat the birds to the ripe juicy fruit.

They could have employed the tree climbing scarecrows employed by other neighbours. Father Christmas and Michael Jackson!

We too had some picking to do – apricots, which we will give away; stew and freeze; jam; dry and turn into chutney.

Two days of hot sun and the  dried apricots are ready.