Early Evening Raid

  Way down near the marsh edge sits a small persimmon tree.  This is not one of the cultivated trees that makes the nice, plump fruit but rather a wild one that has tiny, marble-sized fruit.  This is fine by me as I prefer the tiny pleasantly-sweet persimmons over the large, mushy, almost sickening-sweet things.  In fact, I like these things so much that I encouraged Son to leave the many seedlings that have sprouted where seeds have dropped.  I know we will have to thin the little saplings at some point but for now they grow.  I do so enjoy the first ripe persimmon and cannot wait until a night's frost changes the tart fruit into sugary, yet tangy, pieces of yumminess!

  There are also a few of the denizens of the Bayou that prefer my persimmons over their normal meals.  Possums and coons seek out the tree and start swiping the fruits even before they turn orange.  Today when I sent Ms. Ez down the hill to do her business, she got side-tracked at the persimmon tree.  That old dog stood staring up into the branches and that could only mean one thing.  She spied some culprit eating my fruit!  I made my way down to see what the old dog treed. Sure enough, a small raccoon was perched up in the branches.  Under the tree were the remains of a dozen or so unripe persimmons.  How is this little guy eating green persimmons?  Those things will pucker up your mouth until it feels as if it is being turned inside out! He must have been really hungry to tackle this meal!

  I watched the raccoon for a bit as he watched us.  It was sort of a standoff to see who would cede to the other.  Ms. Ez started jumping up and down trying to reach the little fellow but he was a bit too high for her.  As long as he stayed still, he would be safe from the old dog. He did and he was. She and I headed back to the Little Bayou House and left him in peace. By morning, dozens of half-eaten persimmons will litter the ground beneath the tree.  He will drop most as he searches for that one elusive sweet one.  Good luck, Little Fellow. I don't think you will be finding any sweetness in the tree tonight!