Saturday, June 09, 2007

What Time Is It?

Time for cherries to turn red!

All over the park the trees are covered in cherries in varying stages of ripeness. The one at the back of the Tinpalace has almost-ripe cherries on it now, as evidenced by the photo.

I had intended to wait until these beauties were at the peak of perfection before picking them, but if we want any I guess we'd best pick NOW. We went to town briefly yesterday and came home to find strangers standing in our yard, one up on a chair, stripping off everything he could reach. Once he was done with our tree he went to the neighbours and did the same, carrying plastic bags which were loaded by the time he returned.

Now I can't reach any of the ripe cherries in my own yard, even standing on a chair, since he was a lot taller than me. Oh well, if I don't get my fill here there are cherry trees all over the valley. I'll just buy some. No point in getting exercised about it. (Later edit: When I wrote this I had no idea just how many cherries were hiding under all those leaves. I could pick and eat for a year off of these trees alone!)

I've also included a picture of the growing apricots on the old tree which was at the back of the Tinpalace in our former spot. The apricots are clustered as thickly as grapes on the boughs I couldn't reach to thin. It will be a couple of months before these little beauties are ripe.

We picked up the air conditioner on Tuesday, but darn if it wasn't too big for the window. (sigh) We worked at removing the frame of the screen, but didn't have the right tools. After a couple of hours we broke down and called Gary.

He arrived yesterday morning and removed the screen frame, but the AC was still 3/8ths of an inch too wide. I threw caution to the winds and suggested we cut the frame away in that area, and Gary went home for a reciprocating saw. He cut away the frame in the area we needed and he and Tony installed the troublesome machine. Ahhhh....

It takes only an inch or so of room inside, where it projects above the front shelf. It is under cover, since the awning for the front window protects it from both sun and rain. It is on the cool side of the trailer, come afternoon. Poifict!

Today the forecast is for 70 degrees, and the entire week is supposed to be cool and wet. But summer is coming and air conditioning means we will not crumple up in the heat like little saggy balloons. And poor Sal, in his luxurious fur coat, will not pant and complain as he did when it hit 95 and above last week.

3 comments:

Susan said...

You are all set for the Oliver heat now. Keith went and bought a couple of new fans. One of them , I think he took off the front of a plane! It is so powerful, it almost blows the cat down the hall! Its cooled off now, but when the heat we had last weekreturns, we will be ready for it!
Loved the story of you nursing the baby bird.

Mandy said...

I have been a negligent blog reader lately; I just caught up with you now while eating my dinner (...um, at 3:30 am). I can't think of anything smart or insightful to say... but as always, your writing is sparking and wonderful and I'm so glad that you and Tony are enjoying life in Oliver. I miss you both very much.
Will you be coming to Calgary for Shawn & Jeff's wedding?
Love,
M

Deb said...

Hi Manders,

No, sadly we will be wishing them a happy married life from afar. I'd love to go, but there's nowhere to leave the Red Chief, the trip is too much for Tony, and I can't go off and leave them as there's no support system in the summer shoud they need something. Maybe we can convince to make us a stop on their cross-country honeymoon.