A Bounty of Abundance

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It’s Saturday and I’ve decided to keep moving taking my cue from the proverb, “an idle mind is the devil’s playground.” I told myself to keep moving and not to let overthinking have its way. All good right? Let’s see how far I make it before my old friend, my mind, takes over and smashes it to pieces!

Morning started early. I got up at 7 a.m. and all was well. Chachi, the cat, was purring softly next to me and the world was just waking up. The birds were chirping and the pigeons were cooing for all they are worth! A little irritating but still a pleasant enough sound. The sun seemed to be peeking out after days of absence and I wondered if a walk in nature might be a good idea but nixed it because I don’t like walking on Saturdays. Too many people out and the constant exchange of pleasantries tend to be draining.

My idea for today is to clean house from top to bottom. It should keep me occupied for most of the day since I haven’t done thorough cleaning in quite a while. The dust bunnies are laughing their heads off but not for long! I’m getting the Dyson vac out and it should do a great job of getting everything nice and clean. Chachi, the cat, sans apron and Swiffer in hand, is more than ready to pitch in and give me some help. However, he thinks it is playtime more than anything else. First thing, strip the bed. Then the pillowcases and Chachi’s blankets. The little helper was more than happy. He ran across the bed as if it was some kind of a raucous game. It took about 20 minutes simply because the little rascal was getting in the way and enjoying himself in the process. I got the wash going and decided to head out to the garden to see what’s happening there. It has been days since I’ve been in the garden and I didn’t expect much except an onslaught of weeds!

The surprise was on me. The apple tree was bogged down with plenty of apples! This one lone apple tree in the garden has a mind of its own. Last year, there were no apples to speak off. This year, it is overflowing and the apples though small are crisp and sweet. They are just turning slightly red so probably a week or so and they should be ready to come off the tree and to be given away to the neighbors. I can’t eat them all. The lone cherry tomato plant has some ripe tomatoes on it. Last year, I planted one tomato plant and got a monster harvest so I went with one cherry tomato plant this year hoping that it will be just enough for salads and stir-fries. Looks like it is working. Next to it, the chili plant is doing well. It has four green chilies and the card on it reads, “Hot Chilies.” Keeping fingers crossed that they are. Rounding the corner, I see that the cherry tree is done for this year. I got three cherries although it had an abundance of flowers this year. Where did the cherries go? Your guess is as good as mine. Perhaps, next year. The fig tree standing next to it is trying to overdo everything else in the garden. It is lusciously green and full of figs! Last year, the figs took a long time getting ripe and I had to discard most of them because the weather had turned and they couldn’t finish their ripening process. This year, it looks like they are going to make it in time and in a week or two, I should have plenty of ripe figs to give away and to enjoy.

It looks like a bounty of abundance and I am grateful. The sky above is beautifully clear heralding a gorgeous day, not too hot and just right. The birds are picking up their singing drowning out the pigeons and the air, well, it is fresh washed clean by the rain and ready to meet another day. Inside, I hear the beeping of the washing machine telling me to put the load in the dryer. It’s going to be a beautiful day and I’m going to try and make it a great one.

Have an amazing day.

Top Five Fruits I Love

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I love fruits and they are part of my daily diet. I love the normal variety of apples, oranges and grapes but I do love the exotic variety as well. It comes from having lived in Asia during my younger days and the assortment of fruit there was endless. Here are some of my top picks.

GUAVA

A neighbor used to have a guava tree growing right next to a dwarf coconut tree and we could go into the garden and pick the fruit anytime we wanted to. I didn’t know it at the time but guava aids digestion, is low-calorie and has a high-fiber content and it has other benefits as well. Since I live in Europe now, they are hard to come by but when I do see them in the supermarket, I snap them up regardless the price!

PEACHES

I love the juicy deliciousness of this fruit. There is nothing nicer than a juicy peach when the weather is warm outside. It is a good source of vitamins and antioxidants not to mention that this fuzzy skinned fruit is delicious as well.

STRAWBERRIES

They are in season now. This sweet, juicy fruit is great on anything. People here make strawberry tarts and they use them in salads and in milkshakes as well. I just love them fresh with a dollop of cream.

PAPAYAS

I got my first taste of papaya in Asia. This tropical fruit has many benefits. It reduces inflammation, aids digestion and boosts your immune system. However, they are hard to find in Europe but recently the supermarkets here have been carrying them but they are not cheap. One papaya costs around 5 euros and that’s for a small one and when compared to prices in Asia where you can get them for pennies or rather dirt cheap, people stay away from them. I do get them when I see them because I love the taste of papaya on a hot summer’s day.

DRAGON FRUIT

This weird-looking fruit that looks alien-like is sweet, juicy and has many benefits. It is said to improve heart health, promote gut health, enhance skin health and boost your immune system as well not to mention it is delicious served in salads or by itself. It is one of my favorites but here again the price is daunting and they don’t show up on the shelves that often. I get them when I see them.

Fruits are my go to when I need a snack not counting the cheesecake of course!