Coming home has never been such a strange sensation as this before.... a lot changes in 6 weeks - the weather, the world, the vegetable garden and the vibes! It was lovely to be picked up at the airport by son Hugh, the roof off his car on this sunny spring day, and make a quick dash to see my mother, who lives not far from the airport. Her mango tree is flowering, with thousands of fruits possible - let's hope she gets a record crop in April. When we arrived home I saw that our peach tree is laden with fruit again and the apple trees have been blossoming too.
Roger has looked after the vegetable garden really well but, despite giving lots away, there are still plenty of things ready to pick and lots that have gone to seed to make next year's food.
On my potting bench I found a foam box full of various little seedlings and next to it, a collection of magnificent plants ready for the garden. On the front door was a note.... "Here are some seedlings to give Kate something to do when she gets home.... besides the blog! From Deb". Thanks Deb, the best welcome home present imaginable!
After making a salad from the garden and a cup of my favourite coffee for Hugh, Roger and myself, I headed out to pick some things for dinner...
....broccoli, a massive fennel, shallots, beetroot, French violetta artichokes, and Egyptian broad beans....and....
white shahtoot mulberries..... if you have never eaten them, you are missing a treat....much more yummy than they look. They are not just sweet but also full of flavour and quite surprisingly delicious. They are ready when they just fall off as you touch them. This mulberry is hardy to everything, grows like the wind, produces in its first year and is a prolific bearer of delicious fruit....what more do you want?
So, that's it, the voyage of the vegetable vagabond is over....but only for now. There are a lot more vegetable gardens and wonderful people out there and I would like to continue this journey and maybe spend a bit more time in some places.
Thanks you so much to all the people I have stayed with, thank you for your hospitality, friendship and generosity and don't forget you are welcome here anytime. I have had a fantastic 6 weeks and there wasn't one minute that I would change. Take care of yourselves and enjoy your vegetable gardens and please put some posts on your blogs about the progress of the vegetables that we planted together and other jobs I helped you with. Au revoir.
5 comments:
Good to hear that you're home at last! I'm sure we all enjoyed your visits and your journey as much as you did. Thank you for writing about it so that we could all share it. We're really hoping to see you in Gabian again before long, but in the meantime will keep you in touch with what's happening to the vegetables you planted here. We'll be eating mizuna very soon I think.
Your homecoming harvest looks fantastic - I'm specially envious of the fennel and the artichokes - the violette variety which we grow and harvest in May here. À bientôt!
Kate, you and Roger are most welcome anytime you are in sunny but dry Melton West.
Your harvest looks fantastic.
Gav
Welcome home Kate. What a perfectly awesome trip you have had. Thanks for sharing the fun.
That's a big call to say you wouldn't change a minute.. I find it hard to imagine a holiday THAT perfect! Enjoy !!
Welcome home! Looks like a nice cup of coffee. ; )
Hi Kate
Thanks for the info about the fruit of the mulberry, I'd never seen it before. But would you believe it just this week someone brought a bowl of them to our monthly bring and share dinner here in France. I got very excited thinking someone actually had a tree here. In fact they had been brought back from Tajikistan. None the less they were delicious and I was able to recognise them thanks to you.
Sarah
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