Satsuma's Waiting

Awww, what awaits me in my back yard but a yummy Satsuma tree? It is chock full of the yummy juicy mandarin type of oranges - waiting to be picked at my beck and call. I always look forward to the fall and early winter when they ripen - when they are sweet and juicy is proof that the cold weather has set in. There is no way I can eat them all, but I love trying. I usually donate several dozen to the church for for the holidays, give bags full to neighbors and friends and still have loads of Satsumas to eat.

We used to have a dog named Skippy, one of our beloved Springer Spaniels, who have long since passed on. Skippy would eat as many as we would give him - after he picked his share first. He was quite good at picking them off of the tree - little scoundrel! Often the bottom part of the tree would be bone dry, but out of his reach there were more than enough Satsmas to share with him. He would park his nose right on my knee with his soulful brown eyes, waiting for his snack... a snack he would even ignore his 'kid' to eat. Jeremy and Skippy were quite a pair until the Satsumas caused him to make a choice. The Satsuma would win - but he would still get a few rounds in with Jeremy playing between snacks - usually while mom peeled.

When pR was a toddler, I took her out in the yard and I taught her about picking Satsumas and eating them. Now, in true tradition, pR and I will go out in the yard, hand pick our Satsuma's and sit on the swing under the oak tree while snacking on them and chatting. When she was small, I would have to make her stop when she ate 3 or 4, but now we just eat them until we are tired of talking or eating - whichever comes first.

Our Satsuma tree was given to me by a good friend 15 years ago when we moved into our home as a housewarming gift. Long after Kristine and I have gone our separate ways, I still think of her as I eat the fruit. What a wonderful gift it was. It is the gift that never quits giving.

When I returned this year for the holidays from Singapore, I was overwhelmed when I walked into our back yard to see our tree laden down with fruit - waiting to be picked. Secondly, I was saddened that my swing was gone from under the tree - a victim of the harsh, humid, Louisiana heat and rain. The tradition will be broken this year, but the memories live on...

When I sat to write this blog, was I ever surprised to find out the satsumas are actually a type of mandarin orange of Chinese origin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikan - what a coincidence... I will have to look for them back in Singapore!

The circle of life never ceases to amaze me.