Monday, April 14, 2008

"Lemon Tree, Very Pretty..."


Friday morning, dark and early, an hour down the deserted road to the airport, we learn the flight’s been cancelled. His attempt to return to the frozen north foiled, the OC cannot help but grin at the prospect of an extra day in La-La land. Land of parental dotage, confused and confusing wife, offspring irreverent and obstinately un-humble, choruses of groans when all you want to watch on television is golf and soccer --- enough to make a guy pine for a cold and lonely hermitage in the north, were it not for the possibility of one more round of golf in the balmy sunshine, an afternoon nap, perhaps; maybe even a little puttering in the garden…..

Lazy, lolling-around afternoon, no rush, no urgency. Then out of nowhere, a wild hair. He must prune the lemon tree. Never mind that the targeted branches are half way to heaven. He will not be deterred.

“The Bean will do it!” I protest. The Bean, in his opinion, does not approach such undertakings with the proper degree of enthusiasm or gravity.

“I will not push you around in your wheelchair when you fall and break your already dodgy back!” I threaten.

You've heard of “pissing into the wind?”

Yeah.

He was going to do what he was going to do.

The ladder was extricated from the garage and hauled to the hapless tree. The necessary, lethal-looking surgical tools were located. From there it was all go. Up he went and commenced with the lower branches. Dutifully I stood below, collecting them as they fell, burying my nose in their intoxicating perfume before carting them off to the tree branch cemetery at the back. Even as he climbed higher, and stretched more precariously, he seemed solidly planted. I was at the ready to catch him as he fell. Rigghht…….Having long ago lost my taste for “holding the flashlight,” I wandered off.....

A cardinal was lecturing us, loudly, from a nearby tree, possibly warning us not to darken the door of his nest. I fetched my camera, hoping for a picture of his piercing redness and cheeky stance. He led me a merry dance though, flying over the roof to a tree on the other side, then, as soon as I’d followed and found him, back again.

Entertaining myself thusly, I rounded the corner of the house and came upon this fine fellow,


enjoying an evening repast on the front lawn.
He froze.
I froze.
Very slowly I lowered myself onto the path. Nary a twitch, but he kept his eye on me. I inched closer,lowering myself further until belly met path, the better to get a tremor-free shot. He was very co-operative and held perfectly still while I clicked, but seeing that I wasn’t going away, he gathered up his fluffy cottontail and bounced off into the bushes.

The OC, meanwhile, dodgy back unscathed, descended from the ladder to admire his handiwork. Gathering up the remaining branches, I murmured admiringly at the lovely job he’d done. I showed him the fruits of my grovelling about on the front path.
He smiled and echoed my murmuring.

And so it goes.

Saturday morning, at the same obscenely early, dark and quiet hour, he went winging north, to the cold but peaceful hermitage. And here am I, wondering again exactly what I’m doing here…..

When besieged by doubt there’s only one cure---Start a new project.


Which is exactly what I did.

Hand piecing, my lovelies. ‘Tis good for the soul.

17 comments:

Ali Honey said...

So did all the lemons get cut off in tha pruning act? Are you making lemon honey or lemon pie?

Enjoy your new piecing project. What size will it be, or is that yet to be decided?

riseoutofme said...

What a nice find this morning! Was beginning to think the eagle had landed permanently .... And need I remind you that there are CERTAIN projects that need to be initiated before the receivee pops its clogs??

Nice bunny.

Tanya Brown said...

That's a beautiful tree and a very handsome rabbit!

It sounds as though you had a good weekend with the OC. I'm sorry it had to end so soon.

Thimbleanna said...

Oh my Molly. Your writing is so beautiful, when I come to your blog I feel as though I've landed in the middle of a favorite novel. I do hope you publish your blog into a book for you! And hand piecing? How divine! Keep showing us peeks -- it looks to be the start of a lovely quilt!

heartinsanfrancisco said...

I could smell the fragrant lemons and see every hair on the little bunny's body. Did you know I was right there behind you with my bare feet in that luscious green grass?

Thank you for sharing such a lovely meditation, and please show us the new project when it's finished.

Lone Grey Squirrel said...

You must have such a beautiful garden. It certainly seems so from the photos. Very pretty indeed.

Anonymous said...

I look forward to seeing the progress of the hand-piecing. hope you had some refreshing ale so those lemons didn't go to waste

Pam said...

Oh, the dares I saw mentioned no shower! I never have showers, anyway, and I fear that I don't look all that different first thing in the morning from later on. My beauty routine is not extensive...

Lovely but slightly sad post. Actually, I would be very sad indeed if I had those bunnies in my garden! I like bunnies but not anywhere near my plants.

molly said...

Ali --- The fruit was all on the lower branches, so there were very few casualties. It's just nice to be able to run outside and pick one whenever I need a lemon!

Rise --- Would that I should have an equally pleasant surprise one day soon! Tibetan prayer flags are starting to fray a little....
As for "popping your clogs" as you so elegantly put it, come over this summer and we'll make your quilt top priority!

Tanya --- It was actually an entire week, but seemed much shorter...

Anna --- It won't be a big quilt, just a table topper, ideal for someone with my short attention span!

Hearts --- What passes for grass here in Florida is an abomination compared to northern [or Irish ]grass, and not so pleasant to walk on barefoot. But it IS green...

LGS --- It IS a very nice garden sand offers endless opportunities for puttering [not to mention back-breaking labour!]We have some of your brethern out back among the trees. They'd love a game of chase with you when you're healthy and strong again!

Tracey --- I'll give regular progress reports. In fact having to do so might ensure that i keep at it!
ALE? With lemons???

Isabelle --- Our beauty routines" are probably similar.You look like a back-to-nature girl like me. Not much patience for artifice around here...
The bunny was remarkable because the sightings are, mercifully, rare!

meggie said...

Molly, a much more harmonious garden scene than one at our place!!
Our Lemon tree keeps getting attacked by hideous insects. Thankfully, the Gom has not touched it ...yet. It is still quite small. It is not as fruitful as yours appears to be... perhaps it needs some of that pissing in the wind to be directed underneath it's branches!

Amazing shot of the furry visitor! Your grass looks so lush & green.

Your project looks very interesting too!

ancient one said...

Molly, this is the way I add links... on the top of the page click custom, on next page click the links part... then type this: http://addiezinone.blogspot.com/
on that line and whatever you want to name it on the next line then click on save changes ... works for me...

Your lemon tree is pretty and so is the rabbit!!

Unknown said...

Wow. That photo of Mr. Peter Cottontail looks like a card!

fifi said...

That was SO beautifully written...


Love the bunny, love the lemon tree story and the lecturing cardinal.

Where is the frozen hermitage?


Heh< I thought, briefly, that the new project was to be Lino Printing. I am happy to coach you via the interwebs...

Julie's Journey said...

The last time my dear one pruned our lemon tree was the last time it survived its annual "boy" prune. He has subsequently been banned from pruning but occasionally I find him with secateurs in hand and a glint in his eye but it is relatively easy to disarm him.

Eastcoastdweller said...

And yet, we menfolk have the nerve to accuse You Ladies of being stubborn. Hell, no. Obstinance is actually a guy thing. Ladies ... well, Ladies are persistent.

I love the bunny pic. I know from experience that creatures of the rabbit persuasion, being on nearly everyone's menu, are very hard to photograph. Good job.

And I second thimbleanna's comments. Your writing is beautiful. And I'd say that even if You were a guy. Lone Grey Squirrel is a guy and he writes beautifully, too. So there. (o:

Kacey said...

The lemons look so big and healthy. We had two orange and grapefruit trees in our last home, but nothing in the new place. I guess I don't care, since I had to come home to Ohio, anyway. But, your lemons are beautiful. A friend suggested that the juice of one quarter lemon in a cup of warm water morning and night will help lower cholesterol. I just might try that, since I think statins are killing all of us. And about the quilt--- nice---hand piecing is the best way to get absolutely accurate points. I'm going to have to put a few pictures of my quilts up on my blog. Come see me soon.

Kapuananiokalaniakea said...

Mmm! I can smell those lemons.
And you are patience personified.