Our weather warmed up again after a week or more of high temperatures in the 60s and low 70s F. For a while there, we thought summer might be over. Now the garden started producing again, thanks to this week's temperatures in the mid-80s to low 90s. Walt said yesterday that there are green beans to pick again. Our neighbor the mayor brought us 6 or 7 lbs. of little yellow plums and I'm trying to make plum jelly with most of them. Walt also made a clafoutis with some of the ripest ones.
Our neighbors across the street, the ones who really live in Blois but have a country house here, invited us over night before last. They said they have a tree in their yard that is weighed down with little red plums that aren't quite ripe yet. They told us to taste them and when they are ripe to pick as many as we want. They are generous that way. They also have a lot of little peach trees that will start giving us ripe peaches in September. We can't keep up with it all. What a dilemma!
Speaking of those neighbors from Blois, they cooked a simple dinner for us and three other neighbors Thursday evening. During the conversation, M, whose 93-year-old husband is unfortunately in an assisted living facility now, mentioned that they will celebrate their 68th wedding anniversary this month. M is 88 years old now. She and her husband have seven children — two of them adopted; 40 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren at this point.
Actually, they sort of adopted Walt and me when we arrived here 20 years ago, often inviting us to their summertime family events like birthday and anniversary parties. They are people who are well educated and well off, but who have never traveled much. M has never flown on an airplane, and I think she once told me she had never traveled by train. All their children except the youngest one, who they adopted when he was 5 or 6 years old, live in or within 10 miles of Blois. The one who doesn't live close by is an officer in the French navy and serves on a submarine based in Brittany.
Actually, they sort of adopted Walt and me when we arrived here 20 years ago, often inviting us to their summertime family events like birthday and anniversary parties. They are people who are well educated and well off, but who have never traveled much. M has never flown on an airplane, and I think she once told me she had never traveled by train. All their children except the youngest one, who they adopted when he was 5 or 6 years old, live in or within 10 miles of Blois. The one who doesn't live close by is an officer in the French navy and serves on a submarine based in Brittany.
ReplyDeleteThose neighbors are very nice people and very generous; I remember with pleasure meeting them several times. I also remember that delicious jam you made with the plums from across the street.
The month of August is the best season when you reap what you have sown and enjoy it.
Delete: ^ )
DeleteI did some legal work for a hospice patient one time, who had never left the county she was born in.
ReplyDeleteI have good memories of your plum jam! Getting included in your neighborhood right away was a blessing and I have a feeling that this 88 year old has spread a lot of joy in her long life. She must be a kind person like your mother.
ReplyDeleteI've always said that we didn't know how lucky we were that we "landed" here. I never imagined that 20 years later I'd still be here. You're right about M and MA. I wish the two of them could have met and talked, but neither of them spoke the other's language.
DeleteOh, my goodness, what bounty, in every way-- fruit, friendship, food... wonderful :)
ReplyDeleteNot to mention a warm summer evening so we could sit outside.
DeleteYou have lovely neighbors. I enjoy hearing about them. Finally got caught up on your posts, I’ve been traveling across country.
ReplyDeleteI hope it was a fun trip. I drove across the country between NC or DC and California four times in the 1980s and '90s. Loved it.
DeleteThat was me above.
ReplyDeleteBettyAnn
Friends are fabulous! So nice to have friends that enjoy sharing food and fellowship.
ReplyDeleteTrue, and these have become good friends.
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