Simple Pleasures

I consider myself lucky to live in an area where there is a bountiful supply of fresh fruits and vegetables from spring to fall like asparagus, strawberries, cherries, peas, apples, blueberries, peaches, grapes, tomatoes, etc. These bounties provide flavor and freshness that store-bought produce can not match.
Last weekend me and my friends went cherry picking at a nearby town. The taste of fresh, tree ripened fruit is reason enough to drive a few miles ... hard to top that! ;)


Climbing these cherry trees reminds me of when I was a little girl. We used to have guava, tamarind, star apple,and mango trees (these are tropical fruits) in our yard and us kids enjoyed going up as high as we could get on those trees. In this picture, we used a ladder to get to the top of the cherry tree.


Here we are, taking a break. Try to notice all those cherry trees behind us, there must have been a total of a hundred trees in this orchard.


The gang ...


After picking cherries, we drove to a hill where the owners live, to pay. One more reason that I appreciate where I live is the trust that the farmers extend to pickers. They are aware that all pickers have their fill first before starting to fill their bags. ;)
This is the view from the cherry owner's home. Imagine waking up with this view every morning? ... it's heaven!


Pretty soon road side stands like this one will be filled with produce. Notice that metal box at the left side in front? ... help yourself to the produce and drop your payment in that box. Nobody minds the "store" ... so trusting like in the good old days!
This pic was taken last fall.