That is not a peach tree!

     I have a lot of fruit trees dotting the gardens.  Each of the plum trees and peach trees were loaded with fruit so I expected to be canning fruit for the entire month.  Well, we also have an overabundance of critters now that nary a tree stands on the acreage west of my brother's place.  All of the animals that were not immediately killed were displaced and are now starving to death.  (It is saddening to know they are suffering merely because of the greed of humans.  I would not be able to sleep at night knowing I caused this much agony on any creature.)  The critters have no place to go other than the Bayou so my fruit trees have been fair game for the critters.  There is not much I can do other than share.  Lots of the fruit is merely "tasted" then dropped to the ground.  That is frustrating as it is a huge waste.  Son and I picked several hundred of each type before they were tasted and let them ripen indoors.  Enough jam, jelly and preserves were made to last for the year so all is good.  The rest of the fruit will be left for the animals.  

  This afternoon, I was out taking one last walk through the gardens when I noticed something strange.  Up in the top of the live oak tree on the west side of the house was something rosy pink.  Well, now!  That is not a peach tree!  Obviously, a squirrel had stolen a peach and managed to get it to the opposite side of the yard, up the tree and then got chased from its prize.  The peach sits perfectly balanced on the large limb.  Perfectly balanced that is until the next thunderstorm rolls through the area later tonight.  Then the winds will shake the peach loose and it will come crashing down...right on the old truck!  It seems that the "critter damage" is not just confined to the fruit trees.  Hopefully, some other critter will take a liking to the peach and remove it before it falls.  Oak trees are not supposed to have peaches!