My very first peach!

When I moved here a few years ago one of the very first things I did was plant two fruit trees, one an apple and one a peach. Both were self-pollinating varieties of course. Now, it’s almost impossible to overstate how much I love peaches –they are just about my favorite fruit and one of the best things about the South. (Ok, nearly the best thing about the South.) I have tended these trees carefully the past few years but knew I couldn’t really expect any sort of crop until next year.

I had a lot of flowers on my peach tree this year but none of them seemed to develop into anything. Most of them I took off myself because many of the trees branches are not yet strong enough to support fruit. Well, sometimes life throws you a delicious curve ball.

Late yesterday afternoon I was leaving the house and happened to glance up at my peach tree. The late afternoon sun shone on it in such a manner that the leaves were highlighted and I saw something pink against one of the branches. I thought it was probably a trick of the light and went on because I was in a hurry. Naturally, I forgot to check it out when I got back home.

Fast forward to today. I got home about the same time I left yesterday and as I’m getting out of the car I look up and see the same flash of pink. No, I think it can’t be. Can it? So I traipse across the yard, packages and all, and look up. There, ten feet in the air, hangs a perfect ripe peach. I let out a yell that could have waken the dead, dropped everything in my hands, and did a silly little dance in the yard that had all my neighbors staring. They must really think I’m nuts now, after dancing in the yard with a silly grin plastered all over my face.

After the discovery I proceeded to go through heroics to get to the peach. I had to bring out the stepladder, step it up on the lawn –which slopes by the way –and stand at the very edge of my reach to get at it. I knew it was ripe before I ever touched it; it had that perfect pink blush peaches get when they are at their peak. It was firm to the touch and came off with just a gentle twist. As soon as I got on the ground I smelled it. That heavenly aroma alone was worth waiting for. Then I bit into it and stood there on the lawn, juice running down my chin, completely lost.

This, I thought, is heaven. This is what life should be. I don’t need an IPhone and an Xbox to make me happy –just a tree and a peach will do it.