Oranges

Last March the orange tree was filled with blossoms. The blossoms were filled will bees. The backyard was filled with the fragrance of hope. Today our kitchen sink is filled with fruit. Hope realized!

We've been enjoying the orange tree's produce since Christmas and sharing its lusciousness with a few others along the way.

From our upstairs I could see that there was still fruit in the top of the tree, so I asked Mr. Fun if he'd harvest some more. This afternoon I was busy in the upstairs office on the front of our house and didn't realize that he'd stepped out back. When I came downstairs later to photograph something in the yard for today's blip, he suggested that I look into the kitchen sink. Well, I did and I did . . . I looked and I photographed.

In August of '94 when we moved into this home, the orange tree was mature. Each year since then we've learned to more fully appreciate its produce. A year ago it was bare because we'd had the tree pruned probably a bit too late in the season. So this year, it's fruit is even more precious.

This season I've discovered that I love the mixture of sliced oranges and sliced bananas. Yum!

Recently I read in a cookbook, "There are two main types of orange, the Valencia and the navel. Valencia oranges, available in summer, have a thin, light orange peel and a virtually seedless juicy flesh. Navel oranges, a winter fruit, have a characteristic depression or navel at one end and a dark, thick peel which comes off easily. They also segment well and are very good eating oranges. Blood oranges have a sweet but sharp taste and their dark red fresh and juice give deep color to desserts." That description confused me because it claims there are two types of oranges but then speaks of three. Oh well.

One thing I love about the orange tree is that it its leaves are always green. So hey, oranges for everyone!

Today I am swamped with student emails and I haven't done much commenting here in blipland. Ugh! And I appreciate those of you who commented on mine page from yesterday, which I thought was more than fairly bland . . . a lobby at the college -- and still plenty of you wrote encouraging words.

Well, we have rain clouds approaching and we are hoping for the real thing. I'm keeping a sinus cold at arm's length with an army of vitamins and fresh wheatgrass juice at the local juice shop. I don't need a head cold as I start this new semester. So I'll keep you posted as to who wins -- me or the head cold.

Good night from a wintry Southern California.
Rosie & Mr. Fun, aka Carol