by

Plum Lucky

Please forgive my little play on words, but today we really are “plum” lucky. Will you look at all that fruit?

basket of plums

Basket of Plums

plums on the tree

Plums Still on the Tree

Coincidentally, today is my youngest son’s 14th birthday. The tree that produced all this goodness was a gift for his tenth birthday. This is the tree’s break-out year for fruit. We have lots of yummy apricots, too.

apricots

Freshly Harvested Apricots

apricots on the tree

Apricots on the tree

In one of life’s small ironies, the birthday boy won’t eat any of this fruit. He’s excited to grow and pick the fruit. He’s especially proud of the ample production. In a stage that I hope will one day pass, he still blames me for over-pruning and thereby killing one of the tree’s four grafts.

In the interest of harmony, we agree to change the subject.

We’re celebrating later with his favorite cake: Sans Rival. It’s a Filipino dessert cake made of layers of butter-cream, meringue and chopped cashews. Its name comes from the French phrase with the literal meaning without rival. My friend Jasmin introduced us to the cake and we’ve been fans ever since.

Happy birthday to my smart, clever, insightful, creative and handsome young man. You can’t see him, but he’s standing at the bottom of the fruit-picker.

Telescoping Fruit Picker

Telescoping Fruit Picker

21 thoughts on “Plum Lucky”

  1. Alys I looked at that photo of the plums in the basket and I swear to you – I started to drool 🙂 That is exactly how the plums in my once-upon-a-time garden looked when picked and they were so sweet and juicy…… the taste came right back! It has turned frigidly cold today as a southerly straight off the antarctic belts up the country and there is a wicked wind that just about blew poor Siddy over when we went for a walk earlier. Summer seems a long way off suddenly, but this post has filled me with anticipation!

    Your boys have their birthdays quite close together I think. How lovely that you have two fine sons to celebrate as Summer progresses. And the birthday boy has a great fan-dangley high reaching fruit picking implement too! Super cool! We had to use ladders or rickety old chairs or try shaking the branches to get the fruit to fall – all this was of course back in the days before safety was invented and took all the fun out of things…. but super cool high reaching fruit picking thingies put the fun right back!

    I hope you all have a wonderful day celebrating your youngest son! xoxo

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  3. Happy Birthday young M! Glad to hear you’re able to help harvest all that fruit on your tree and look at the haul you made, WOW. As a northerner, I’m truly amazed these come from your very own backyard. There’s really very little fruit that can mature in Alberta’s north. Saskatoon’s, Strawberries, Raspberries and maybe a few type of Apples might do ok. We actually used to can (glass jars) peaches from BC for the ‘cold room pantry’ when I was growing up. Then in the dead of winter we’d have them with ice cream, a little bowl of sunshine to get us through a cold day. Now I suppose people just go to the market. I hope you’re day was extra special, have a wonderful summer break!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Thank you for the birthday wishes. He starts high school in the fall. Gads the years seem to go faster and faster.

      Through blogging, I’ve really come to appreciate our long growing season and our temperate climate. Someone explained to me once that the rich volcanic ash came done from the mountains millions of years ago, contributing to the rich, organic soil. I never looked it up, but I like the idea of it. Nearby Campbell (where we had breakfast at Stacks) is nicknamed Orchard City, and the Pruneyard where you stayed speaks for itself. Our ancestors could never have dreamed that the valley would one day thrive on technology and innovation of such a different strip.

      I love your peaches story. I was picturing my own Canada childhood when I read your words. Mmmmm…peaches and ice cream sound delish.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  5. Wow, plums already! How lovely to pick your own fruit Alys. Hope the birthday boy has a great day and enjoys his cake… one day he’ll fall in love with plum and apricot pie, I bet! 🙂

    Like

    Reply

    • Cathy, they came and went so fast, I could hardly believe it. The oranges stay on the tree year round, and don’t fall unless provoked by a tree rat. The plums were on and off the tree in two weeks time! I found a recipe for a plum tart that we’ll try this weekend, and we’ve been eating and giving away the rest.

      Thanks for the birthday boy wishes. xox

      Like

      Reply

  6. Alys, that is an impressive collection!! WOW – they look beautiful.
    How large is the lot you live on?
    Happy Birthday to your son 🙂

    Like

    Reply

    • Thank you, LB, for your enthusiastic comment and for the birthday wishes.

      Our lot is small by most people’s standards: it’s 6,000 sq feet, less than 1/4 acre. The one-story house is 1,800 sq feet, so compared to your place, tiny. What’s obscene, is that these homes that once sold for $30,000 new in the sixties, now sell for $800,000, making it nearly impossible for the next generation to live here.

      Like

      Reply

  7. I’m glad I stopped by on my way to “WORK” 🙂 I’m absolutely jealous! Plums AND apricots at once. My favorites. I remember climbing over a fence when I was around 7-8 to steal plums from someones tree in Germany. It was the only thing I ever stole but those plums were heavenly. When I go to the market to buy them, they need to smell just right or they have little flavor. I’ve never had a store apricot that tastes like one off the trees in our yard in Burbank. Miss that tree. Happy Birthday to your son and I’m envious of that cake too. I was licking my lips waiting for a taste of that. Yes, time starts to fly and before you know it, they are flying in to help you from miles away. Mine will be 47 next BD. Does that not make your hair stand on end?? Time does fly. Enjoy the fruits of your labors. Hehe. Hugs all around. MH

    Like

    Reply

    • How nice of you to drop in during your busy move. How funny that you and Boomdee are moving within the same month, after you both waited so long to find a place. Kismet for both of you.

      I hope you have decent move-in weather, and that all is going well so far. I can’t wait to see pictures.

      I can picture you climbing the fence for that plum. Funny what sticks with us so many years later. We are indeed lucky in so many ways that I’ve lost count. I appreciate it every day.

      I’m with you on the store-bought fruit. Most of it is flavorless. Our tomatoes are starting to turn red, so they’ll be next. The tomato plant growing out of the bottom of the composter is producing cherry tomatoes! Can you believe it? I remember you concern early on, and whenever I see the plant I think of you.

      Thanks for the birthday wishes. Wow…47. I’ll be 87 when my 14 year old reaches that age. I hope I’m still active and healthy then too. Though my father died young, his sister Alys lived to 95 and my mom lived till 89. I’m counting on those genes.

      Like

      Reply

Please join the conversation by leaving a comment, below.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.