Wishing....wishing

   This far south, we do not get the beautiful fall foliage show that occurs in the more northern states.  We have to be happy with an occasional orange or red leaf that may slowly drift from the gum trees or popcorn trees.  Sometimes, the maples will put on a show if the weather is reasonable but the drought has browned the leaves before any color change has happened.  So...we take what we get.   Here I am just wishing for some autumn-like show but, instead, I am crunching dried leaves.  

  My hike this morning did bring a smile as I found two...yes, TWO...signs of fall!  First, as I made my way around back behind the greenhouse and grape arbors, I was tickled to find a couple of wild persimmons still hanging on the tree.  The little gold blobs are not ripe and would cause me to pucker up something fierce, if I tried to eat one.  The drought caused huge droppage of the fruit early on and the possums will most likely get the few that hang on the limbs before the first frost makes them sweet.  Still, I saw them and that brought a flood of happy memories.  On the old farm place, there was a few wild persimmon trees in the woods between the house and fields.  I can recall always trying to snitch a snack even though I was warned of the puckering and drying effect that I would surely experience.  The high content of tannins in the unripe fruit make them...ummm...rather unpalatable.  Still...autumn!  Wee bits of autumn dangled from the limbs of the persimmon trees!

  Then, as I meandered near the old canebrake, a second color blast brought vibes of fall and more memories.  A beautyberry shrub had the bright purplish berries starting to ripen.  Though, sparse due to the weather, a few stalks had the nice, rounded clumps on the branches.  These things always mesmerized me as a kid because what kid does not like purple (of any kind) and I loved watching the chickens hop up and down as they stripped the branches of the small berries.  To a kid, seeing a chicken hop is an amusing thing.  Seeing hundreds of chickens hop is downright comical. (Yes, Pop had hundreds of chickens when I was a kid.)  The beautyberry sighting brought a fit of giggles as I thought of those goofy chickens bouncing around the woods.

  So, fall is here, I guess.  I found my two bits of evidence that the summer is waning and perhaps cooler weather is in the works.  I sure hope so.  

Just out of reach!

   Down near where the Bayou makes a turn toward the creek, there are a number of wild persimmon trees.  One has been there since we first moved into the Little Bayou House.  For a persimmon tree, it is quite large.  It has stood there through numerous hurricanes with Hurricane Katrina completely submerging the tree.  Still, that tree stands and produces.  Seeds from that tree have been scattered by possums, coons, birds, squirrels and me!  I love to eat the marble-sized fruit just as much as the critters do.  It is a constant battle to see who can get to the ripe ones first.  I usually lose out to the critters but sometimes I can snatch a few from the limbs.  Now that there are dozens of trees, the snatching is getting much easier.  For those who have only tasted the large, cultivated persimmons, you don't know what you are missing.  I highly prefer the taste and texture of the wild ones over the cultivated ones.  Sure, they are tiny and, sure, you have to share with the critters but these things are special!

  The trees now stand just about devoid of all fruit.  It is late in the season and most of the fruit has been eaten already.  This morning's hike led me to the persimmon trees as I was in hopes of one last taste before there were no more.  I did find one.  Sadly, it was far too high for me to reach.  I longingly eyed that luscious, orange blob that dangled just out of reach.  If only I could climb as deftly as the critters, I could have my one last taste of the season but, being old, I had best not make the attempt.  The lonely persimmon will likely be eaten tonight and the seeds strewn about to make more trees!  That all makes me happy!  Life goes on.

Eagerly Awaiting The First Frost!

   It has been a long while since I have been able to hike far from the Little Bayou House.  This has been a long two months, to say the least.  Now, however, the doctors have given me the "go ahead" to return to living as I once was!  Life is good.  As much as I love the gardens,  I will gladly set aside my crown as Queen of the Small Gardens so I can venture forth!  Today was glorious!  Even though the weather dictated just how long the hike lasted, it was still exciting to be out and about.

  Down along the east side of the property right near the marsh, my usual path takes me into a grove of wild persimmon trees.  These small trees have been planted by Mother Nature so have no set design such as a normal "grove" would but are just clustered in random perfection.  This morning's hike brought that perfection to even a greater scale as all of the trees are loaded with the little blobs of orange goodness!  The trees are heavy with fruit.  While the tiny persimmons are not ripe yet, I know that soon I shall be able to have ready "hiking snacks".  

  Most folks do not care for the taste of the wild persimmons because they are accustomed to the cultivated sort which are much larger, sweeter and seedless (to an extent).  Personally, I prefer the wild.  They can be somewhat tart but have a much richer texture.  Also, they are not as mushy which is better suited to my taste.  Now, to wait for the first frost of the season that will ripen these beauties!  Hopefully, the coons will not raid the trees before I get my share.