Friday, June 06, 2008

Plum Anticipation


With the unusually cool weather we've been having much of the garden is in slow motion. Peppers especially have gotten off to a slow start...I'm considering supplementing with store bought plants in case the home grown starts never take off. While the tomatoes seem to be OK with some cool weather when first planted peppers seem to sulk forever if they've been too cool for too long...even when the heat finally begins to build. But right now I am eagerly awaiting the first ripe plums. I always feel that eating the first ripe plum deserves a ceremony, akin to Carol's tomato ceremony. The rule is that I always get the first plum and I get to eat it in privacy. One would never celebrate with anything less than the best so after carefully choosing a perfectly ripe beautiful purple plum I polish it with a dry cloth until it shines, sit down outside and eat every bit with a mindfulness almost unmatched any time else in the year. I am amazed and thankful every year that I can reach up and pick something so wonderful right there in my garden. This is not the time to remember that in a few weeks I will be offering plums to the day care parents, stirring another batch of jam or throwing overripe fruit in a bucket for the compost pile. Right at that moment the miracle of the first plum will be the only thing in my mind. And it looks as if this year's ceremony is going to arrive soon...I can't wait!

8 comments:

Leanne said...

Mmmmmm yum! And can you keep some of that cool weather for our visit, please? Enjoy your plum!

Annie in Austin said...

I love that you will eat the first plum in private!! It sounds just a wee bit wicked, Leslie ;-]

We never had too much fruit from any of the Illinois trees, but the ecstasy of the first tomato was often replaced by thoughts of what to do with a glut of tomatoes. We've never had too much of any produce in this garden - guess it's okay that I ditched the canning kettle 9 years ago!

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

Anonymous said...

I feel the same way about my apricots...can't wait for them to ripen!

I was just up in your area, in Auburn, and thought of Davis (neice is thinking of applying to UC). Haven't been there since my daughter was checking out prospective universities. Dh and I thought it was a great town.

Carol Michel said...

Thanks for the link. Oh, yes, if I had plums the first one would be mine to eat in private with no one to see the juice dripping down my chin. Like Annie, says, it sound just a little bit wicked, I like that!

Carol, May Dreams Gardens

Unknown said...

Oooh... you have me drooling. I have never had plum jam, but I bet it must be divine!

I hope you enjoy your first plum. I really like that you shine it up before you eat it, Leslie. Nice. :)

Terra said...

Hi,
I agree with the attention you pay to your first plum of the year.
My plum tree, planted my me, gave us lots of plums, but for the past two years NOT ONE.
I guess I need to read up on the solution.

kate smudges said...

I hope you take some photographs of the first carefully-chosen plum before you begin to enjoy its goodness. It's amazing that your plums are already near ripe.

Patsy Bell said...

I feel a lot like this about peaches in the summer. Those first golden, juicy peaches that taste like summer. In a good year they are so juicy the peaches you eat whole and sun warmed are designated as "over the sink" food or "eat it outside" food.I haven't lived here long enough to have my own peach trees,but the vendor at the farmers market becomes my new best friend the day the peaches arrive.