Good afternoon Dear Readers.
Tonight's post has a curious title, does it not and I know you will be thinking "I wonder what this is all about?" Let's go back to the begining, which is always the best place to start a tale.
Way back in the mists of time she and her family lived on a farm on the edge of the Romney Marsh escarpement.
The farm was a mixture of arable, fruit, hops and stock. Barley and wheat were grown as well as fruit, hops for beer making and cattle and sheep.
Hop and fruit picking in the summer were the way that she earned money to pay for hay, shoes and straw for Bluey (pony) and Victoria (goat).
Maureen, the farm manager's wife, made the very BEST Scrumpy out of apples that were a little bit wonky looking and Constance made Kirsch, the farm had two enormous cherry orchards, one of sweet varieties, the other of sour varieties.
Therefore, it was pretty much a done deal that as soon as her cherry trees started to produce fruit she would make her own Kirsch.
I know most people don't look back and think about weather, you have no need to unless you have been directly affected by it. Like those unfortunate people in Somerset who are still battling for compensation.
Another tale is needed for the dreadful story of gross mismanagement by the West Country River Authorities.
But those of you who live in Europe and the Near and Middle East may remember in May we had heavy frosts and strong winds with heavy rains.
Apricot and cherry blossom comes later than apple or pear blossom, in England most apricots are grown against walls and usually they have some sort of protection that can be rolled down to protect the fruit.
But not so in Iran and Turkey where they are a major crop, they are grown in orchards like she grows her cherry and other stone fruits.
After a lovely spring, she and the thousands of stone fruit growers were desolated to lose 99% of their crops due to these extraordinary weather conditions.
Now if you are reading this, and are awake, the title will be obvious! For there were no cherries to pick to make her beloved Kirsch and there were no Iranian apricots to buy in the shops.
They are total different to any other variety of apricot. They are pale skinned and look anaemic but the taste is like eating a lump of the very best brown sugar!
And standing on a cupboard shelf are a row of shiny, but sadly, empty bottles, waiting for next year's crop of apricots and cherries.
So our message to those of you who are fortunate to have been given a bottle of her home made liqueurs, I say "You better take very small sips because there isn't anymore".
Now I am off to pole and she is off to the Post Office.. zoom-zoom and flapflap.. away we go.
GeeGee Parrot.
November 10th, 2014.
Tonight's post has a curious title, does it not and I know you will be thinking "I wonder what this is all about?" Let's go back to the begining, which is always the best place to start a tale.
Way back in the mists of time she and her family lived on a farm on the edge of the Romney Marsh escarpement.
The farm was a mixture of arable, fruit, hops and stock. Barley and wheat were grown as well as fruit, hops for beer making and cattle and sheep.
Hop and fruit picking in the summer were the way that she earned money to pay for hay, shoes and straw for Bluey (pony) and Victoria (goat).
Maureen, the farm manager's wife, made the very BEST Scrumpy out of apples that were a little bit wonky looking and Constance made Kirsch, the farm had two enormous cherry orchards, one of sweet varieties, the other of sour varieties.
Therefore, it was pretty much a done deal that as soon as her cherry trees started to produce fruit she would make her own Kirsch.
I know most people don't look back and think about weather, you have no need to unless you have been directly affected by it. Like those unfortunate people in Somerset who are still battling for compensation.
Another tale is needed for the dreadful story of gross mismanagement by the West Country River Authorities.
But those of you who live in Europe and the Near and Middle East may remember in May we had heavy frosts and strong winds with heavy rains.
Apricot and cherry blossom comes later than apple or pear blossom, in England most apricots are grown against walls and usually they have some sort of protection that can be rolled down to protect the fruit.
But not so in Iran and Turkey where they are a major crop, they are grown in orchards like she grows her cherry and other stone fruits.
After a lovely spring, she and the thousands of stone fruit growers were desolated to lose 99% of their crops due to these extraordinary weather conditions.
Now if you are reading this, and are awake, the title will be obvious! For there were no cherries to pick to make her beloved Kirsch and there were no Iranian apricots to buy in the shops.
They are total different to any other variety of apricot. They are pale skinned and look anaemic but the taste is like eating a lump of the very best brown sugar!
And standing on a cupboard shelf are a row of shiny, but sadly, empty bottles, waiting for next year's crop of apricots and cherries.
So our message to those of you who are fortunate to have been given a bottle of her home made liqueurs, I say "You better take very small sips because there isn't anymore".
Now I am off to pole and she is off to the Post Office.. zoom-zoom and flapflap.. away we go.
GeeGee Parrot.
November 10th, 2014.
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