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Friday, October 21, 2011

Smitten

I'm lying on the dirt in the back yard, looking up at our clementine tree. The branches hang low to the ground, heavy with fruit.

This year we had a lot of rain, plus I fertilized. There will be more fruit than ever.

The "cuties" at the store have been genetically altered so they don't have seeds. They taste like cardboard compared to our clementines. I know. I've eaten cardboard.

I'm getting cocky about this tree. I hope nobody smites me for it. I suppose if that happens I'll end up lying on the ground under a tree. I hope it's this one.
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21 comments:

  1. Book DragonOctober 21, 2011 at 4:43 AM

    color me jealous!

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  2. Petrea BurchardOctober 21, 2011 at 7:38 AM

    I may have to ship you some, BD!

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  3. AnonymousOctober 21, 2011 at 8:23 AM

    Yes, brag away. My tangerines are ripe and juicy, but not on a par with your clemmies.

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  4. DesireeOctober 21, 2011 at 9:01 AM

    Luvely--and perfect for Christmastime--as decoration

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  5. StevenOctober 21, 2011 at 9:26 AM

    WOW ! That tree is loaded. A few seeds are no problem. I would call them "beauties." Lots of good vitamins too. Peel away and eat away. Another food based comment. Thanks for throwing me a bone.

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  6. diveOctober 21, 2011 at 10:05 AM

    Wow! The future is orange over there. What a fantastic bumper crop.
    Enjoy one for me, please, Petrea.

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  7. Petrea BurchardOctober 21, 2011 at 10:19 AM

    Ripe already, Hiker? You're way ahead of me. Let's do a trade when it's time.

    I like to share, Des. But it sounds like you don't like clementines?

    I aim to please, Steven.

    Dive, I'll be happy to enjoy several for you.

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  8. PatriciaOctober 21, 2011 at 10:30 AM

    I'm so jealous! Here in Washington state we are paying a pretty price for these, and I know they don't taste anything like yours. One of the joys of Southern California...

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  9. GinaOctober 21, 2011 at 12:34 PM

    The picture of potential!

    If you have extras I will definitely trade you some winter veggies for some - I've got quite a field of leeks going in my backyard (among other things).

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  10. BellisOctober 21, 2011 at 4:06 PM

    What an amazingly fruitful tree! That dollop of fertilizer must have helped.

    There aren't any mandarins, clementines or tangerines for sale in our local stores yet - is AH shining extra light on hers?.

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  11. दूर्जेय चेतनाOctober 21, 2011 at 4:13 PM

    wow.. I missed my hometown in Nepal. we have big such garden... thanks for beautiful photo

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  12. Petrea BurchardOctober 21, 2011 at 5:09 PM

    Patricia, we do grow good citrus here. I learned recently that it's not indigenous, however. And alas, you get all that lovely rain.

    Gina, I'll put you on my list. Folks are lining up!

    I've seen cuties in the stores already, Bellis. I don't know where they're coming from. But most grocery store fruit is hard as rocks around here. It's certainly not ripe when they pick it, and off the vine it ripens in a grainy way if you pick it at the wrong time. Too bad. I think a lot of people may not know what good fruit tastes like.

    Hi दूर्जेय चेतना (I admit I have no idea how to pronounce that). Thanks for your visit. I think that's what it comes down to. I miss my home town, too. We had a big garden, too.

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  13. JulieOctober 21, 2011 at 6:34 PM

    Mmmm those look wonderful! Clementines never would have survived in Ohio, but we did have an apple tree in my yard until a nasty storm knocked it over. My dad would put me on his shoulders so I could pick the apples and then we'd bake them into a pie. Such fond memories.

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  14. Ms MOctober 21, 2011 at 7:15 PM

    Heavy with potential -- I can only imagine how good those will taste.

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  15. Petrea BurchardOctober 21, 2011 at 10:18 PM

    Julie, we had apple trees, too! I used to love eating them off the tree when they were still green. We planted an apple tree in our Pasadena back yard just a couple of weeks ago. They won't be the same as Illinois apples but I'm looking forward to them just the same.

    Ms. M, I'm wondering how they'd fare in a shipping crate between here and Boise.

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  16. DinaOctober 22, 2011 at 12:16 AM

    I love the way you say things, Petrea!

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  17. Petrea BurchardOctober 22, 2011 at 8:06 AM

    Thank you, Dina!

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  18. USelaineOctober 23, 2011 at 1:31 AM

    I love this. Just love it. Such a green thumb after all!

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  19. Petrea BurchardOctober 23, 2011 at 7:57 AM

    Who knew?

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  20. Susan CampisiOctober 23, 2011 at 1:26 PM

    Such bounty! No wonder you're smitten. Just so you know, unlike Des, I love clementines.

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  21. Petrea BurchardOctober 23, 2011 at 7:56 PM

    I'll put you on that list, Susan.

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I appreciate your comment. You are a nice person—smart and good looking, too.