Pears!

Pear picking is such an enjoyable task.  Bryce on a 12 foot ladder with a fruit claw on the end of a long handle, picked about two five gallon pails of pears the past couple of days.  Before that last week we picked a couple of grocery sacks full.

I heard on the Nebraska TV program, "Back Yard Farmer," that it is appropriate to pick pears green and wait for them to ripen, mellow, and sweeten in the house.

We had guests yesterday for swims, pizza and apple pie.  They went home with a large grocery sack of pears and an ice cream bucket of grapes.  Great grandchildren seem amazed to learn where jelly and fruit comes from.  Bryce said the boy, nearly 10 years old, counted every pear that he handed down to him from the ladder.

The "Antique Road Show" is going on without me and I am missing the first few treasures.  Life is good, small duties are a pleasure to finish, and picking produce is a grand reward for patiently waiting weeks during  our hot, dry summer for the pears to gain size and sweetness.