We’ve Come a Long Way, Baby

No, not the movement for gender equality, though there is that.  But our peach tree!  You may recall a post awhile back recounting the tragic story of our tree’s close encounter with a restless-toothed beaver.  Last year it was chomped down to an ugly stub.  It seemed unlikely to recover, but like many things in life, it surprised us.  Soon, this stub had a progeny of three slender twigs.  And soon these twigs were sprouting leaves.  And by the time flowers had blossomed from these leaves, the twigs had become branches.  Three big branches rooted by one small, stub-sized trunk.  So, our peach tree had had a near-death experience and lived to tell.

 

But all was not over.  You see, a tree that stares death in the face and returns to life may not come back the same, old amiable tree.  In contrast to humans who usually come back from near-death experiences spreading sweetness and love, trees could come back spreading bitterness in the form of fruit that is, in all honesty, not that great.  There is a certain knob at the very base of each fruit tree.  If the tree is cut below this point, even if the tree grows back, the tree’s fruit might be altered for the worse from such a dramatic experience.

 

It was therefore with great suspense that we plucked our first peach of the season today.  Fortunately for us, it was delicious.  It will also be our only peach of the season, but it’s a sign of plentiful harvests to come.  Progress, ain’t it grand?  Yes.  It is that.

 

Not to mention, tasty.