Thursday, June 30, 2016

Big Fat Green Surprise

I know y'all are probably getting sick and tired of hearing about my garden and flowers and such. And I promise not to bore you too much more with it. Well, that might be a lie. But I got a big fat green surprise, today, and I had to share it with you.


You see that tree? Just last week, Cliff was ready to cut it down and plant something different there, something prettier. He went so far as to call it a junk tree. I was about to let him do it, until today.

My sweet little neighbor came over, while I was working in the garden this morning, to bring me some of her blueberries. We were talking about the garden and about how the birds were eating her blueberries, so she was forced to pick them early.....when she mentioned that she saw I had an apple on my tree. "WHAT?!? I didn't know I had an apple tree!" So, she showed me.

Turns out that junk tree in the front yard is an apple tree. I'm so excited!!


I don't know what kind it is, yet, and there are only two apples on the whole tree. One for me and one for Cliff. Ha! Both are green like this one....so, I don't know if it's a Granny Smith or if it will change colors as it continues to mature. Maybe there's an apple expert out there that can tell me.

I tell ya, I'm amazed at all the surprises I keep finding in the yard. One day, I  might find gold!

Hope you all have a safe and Happy 4th of July! Baby Sista and her family are coming to celebrate it with us. My nephew is bringing his Stand-Up Paddle Board. I've always wanted to try paddling one. It's sure to be a good time. I'll let y'all know how it goes.


Talk soon,
Laurie





47 comments:

  1. Sometimes it's hard to hold men with saws back! Glad you managed to make Cliff wait a bit. The apple in the picture sure looks like a yellow/green variety, but I can't say which one. Let Cliff give the tree a good trimming early next spring and I'll be you'll get lots of apples next year. Apple trees often take an "rest" year producing few apples every other year or so.

    And, no, we're NOT getting tired of hearing about your garden and flowers so keep those kind of posts coming!

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    1. Oh, so you've got one of those men, too? HaHa! I'm so glad you know a little something about apple trees. I might have lots of questions, later. And, thanks for the encouraging words! My peaches are going to be ready in a couple of weeks, I think. I'll have to post about those, for sure. I have other garden posts up my sleeve, too. Just don't want to be so repetitive.

      Happy 4th, Mama Pea!!

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  2. How fun to be uncovering surprises in the yard. We have a very young orchard (not quite 3 years old) of various fruits. We have had four cherries so far. lol. Still when you only have a handful (or one each!) they are EXTRA delicious!

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    1. Oooh cherries! I would love to have a cherry tree. Yes, they sure are EXTRA delicious and EXTRA special. Hope you have a great holiday weekend, Marcie!

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  3. LOVE it----God didn't want you to cut down that apple tree! lol It may be a young tree and will bear more fruit as the years go by. Hope you are having a great summer and I am trying to get back to blogging a bit. xo Diana

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    1. Diana! I am so happy to hear from you! I've been thinking about you and hope John is doing well. Yes, I think it's a young tree. Funny thing is that I don't remember seeing blossoms on it this spring. Well, I guess I wouldn't have, if it were only two. Haha! Anyway, I am having a great summer so far. Been very busy in the yard and garden, but I love it. I'm glad to hear you're getting back to your blog. I've missed you!

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  4. Well, that sure is a fun surprise! Yay for you!

    I'm not tired of the garden and flowers! I think we're all enjoying it while it's here!

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    1. It was as fun as when Cliff told me we had a pecan tree, already. I can be so observant sometimes. HaHa! I don't know when these apples will ripen, but the birds took out a good chunk of one of them today after I had taken these photos. So, I'm going to pick them tomorrow.

      Thank you, it's good to know that my repetitiveness isn't boring the socks off everyone. I do have some adventures coming up, though. They should be fun to post about.

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  5. What a great surprise and how lovely to have such nice neighbours. Please do keep telling us about your garden! I really enjoy reading about it! One day I will have a house with a small yard where I can apply what I'm learning with you ;)

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    1. Lol! Well, thank you. Hope my mistakes and blunders and successes will be of help.

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  6. Always love to see what's going on in your garden, Laurie! How fun to find an apple tree! Maybe she needs an apple tree friend to pollinate her flowers :) Have fun with your Sis and that paddleboard! xx K

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    1. Thank you, Karen. You may be right. I always thought you needed more than one and had planned to plant some anyway. Looks like some research is in order. I know the paddle board will be fun and I expect to be really WET. HaHa!

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  7. With or without apples, it is a pretty tree. I'm glad you didn't cut it down. Happy July!

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    1. I am too, Tammy. If it had been a 'junk tree', I was going to replace it with a River Birch. But I think an apple tree is far more valuable.

      Oh yeah, Colorado bound in a few short weeks. :)

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  8. I love your granny Smith. (I think it is, yes) and the story is so cute. And, do you plant now the tiny seeds? http://www.wikihow.com/Plant-Apple-Seeds

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    1. Thank you, Jedidja! I hope it is because I like Granny Smith apples in my green juice. Oh, well, I'll have to go read your article. Maybe I will.

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  9. Wow, that is a fun find. And that apple looks awesome - ours are always gnarly. We make applesauce because no one would want to eat one.

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    1. Thanks, Rebecca! Now you have me thinking of all the possibilities...applesauce, apple pie, apple fritters......

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  10. Hahaha..you have heard this saying?: A weed is but an unloved flower?"
    I see you now LOVE the junk tre and it's a beautiful swan now:)
    What a sweet surprise.
    I don't tire of garden talk:)

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    1. Lol! Yep, it totally went from junk to one of the best trees in the yard. That saying...never judge a book by its cover, also comes to mind. Thanks, Monique!

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  11. I saw your bountiful harvest ...and now an apple tree. I think you should get out the old apple pie recipe.

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  12. How awesome!!! I would love to have an apple tree in my yard....but I guess the bears would love it, too. :(

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    1. You should plant one! We have got to figure out something to do with those bears, in the meantime.

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  13. Congrats! We have a fig tree (so far for the birds and squirrels), but I'd love some additional fruit trees. Maybe some grape vines...

    Jim Fowler, Greenville, SC

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    1. My MIL used to make fig preserves that tasted just like strawberries. Sorry, for throwing that at you, but you brought back a memory. Anyway, I totally understand the bird and squirrel situation. I got one last picking of plums with just a few left...went back the next day to pick those and they were gone. My neighbor said she saw a woodpecker helping himself to them. Ack!!

      We just planted a second grapevine this year. So far, it's doing very well. Go ahead and plant some!

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  14. What a great surprise! Be sure to post about the paddle board experience. I have always wanted to give it a try too.
    Lisa

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    1. I'll be posting about it for sure! Happy 4th, Lisa!

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  15. What a beautiful find!! You will certainly savour it when it ripens.

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  16. Now that is a great surprise! Looks like the junk tree turned into the prize tree!

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    1. So true and now it will get the royal treatment.

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  17. HI Laurie!
    How fantastic!! Apple pie!!
    never tire of your garden stories...never...love your photography!
    Hope you had a great 4th, and mastered the paddle board!
    Enjoy your week...
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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    1. No apple pie this year. We only had two and now down to one. One dropped to the ground and I ate it. It was a perfect Granny Smith. The peeling was a little tough, but other than that, it was pretty good. The paddle board didn't live up to my expectations. More about that in a post later.

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  18. Whew! So glad you didn't cut it down! What a wonderful surprise to find those beautiful apples on it! That's awesome!

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    1. I know! It was a huge surprise and a delicious one at that.

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  19. Whew! So glad you didn't cut it down! What a wonderful surprise to find those beautiful apples on it! That's awesome!

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  20. That apple already looks delicious!! If you trim the tree in the winter I'm sure you'll have more apples next year.

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  21. Love that you at least got 2 apples! Pray that no worm gets to either one. :) Love surprises in the garden!!
    hugs,
    Jann

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    1. Thanks, Jann. Since this post, one of the apples dropped to the ground, so I ate it. HaHa! It was ok...the skin was a little tough,but the good news was that it didn't have any signs of worms. This apple tree thing is new to me. I'll need to do some research on how to care for it and make sure we don't get worms next year. The other apple? Well, I think a bird got to it. It now has a big ole hole in it. Ack! Thanks for your visit and following!

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  22. An apple tree! Now that is really exciting, even if it has only two apples. Now that you know you have an apple tree, maybe you can fertilize it and have a bumper crop in the next season or two. By the way, I don't get tired of seeing pictures of your garden and yard. We just pulled up the poor, tired remains of our little veggie garden. U'm hoping to plant some things for fall soon, after I put some more gardening soil in there. Hope you are enjoying the summer. It seems to be flying by at record speed.

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    1. Hey, Lynn! Yep, I think I'll need to learn how to care for our apple tree. I found out it's a Granny Smith. One of the apples fell to the ground and I ate it. It was ok, the skin was a little tough, though. My garden is still clicking away. I'm really surprised considering all this heat we've had. I hope to plant a fall crop, too. Hope your summer is good, as well.

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  23. We had 2 peach trees when we moved here that I didn't know were peach until the summer came. Both have died and we've planted 2 apple trees. We have 3 apples on one and none on the other. Hopefully we'll have a nice surprise one day too! Enjoy your apple!

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    1. I hope you get a surprise, too. How old are your trees? I have no idea how old ours is. I enjoyed my apple. It dropped to the ground with not a blemish on it. The skin was a little tough, but it tasted good. Cliff's apple has succumbed to the birds, I think. It has a big ole hole in it. Bless it!

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