If you know me, even a little bit, you know that I love figs. I try every fig fragrance, body, bath product that I can get my hands on. A fig tree produces the most comforting odor to me. A fig of any variety is my favorite treat. David and I have been snacking on super sweet and ambrosia like Black Mission figs and gorgonzola all week. We get so excited when they are in season, first we eat them raw until we get spoiled and then we ponder of all the possibilities from dinner to dessert. While we were taking our evening walk last night, and while we were spying on the house we are buying, we strolled past a huge tree. As always, David asked, “What is this?” and before I came back with my “Why would you think I would know, stop asking me everything“, I saw the big, flat leaves. This was a fig and for once I had an answer to David’s question. But, I think he was figuring it out. I forgot about how smooth the bark is, what a pretty color combination it is. I was puzzled because I have never seen a fig tree so tall. It reached into the sky, taller than the houses. (I guess I’ve always seen them trimmed). But, to my amazement it was bearing so much fruit! We both became so giddy, happy to see this huge tree less than a block from the house. We were excited for so many reasons, from the thought of stripping the tree bare in the middle of the night with so many figs we couldn’t’ carry them all or eat them all to the basic fact that we can grow one of these in our own yard.
It reminded us that we don’t rent anymore. We can grow things, we can grow delicious things. How I want to get a cutting of this tree and grow my own! The smell of the leaves, the feel of the bark, the taste of the fruit, it just makes me happy. When we visited Portland, OR before we moved here, we were touring North Alberta and it was October and there was a fig tree bearing fruit. It was a beautiful sight. After that, David and I would talk about owning a craftsman with a fig tree in the yard. Well, I guess we can do that now. And we can have grapes, kiwis, so many things. The property does have a cherry tree and an overgrown lilac. There is also a Japanese maple blocking the house and it has to be trimmed because it is way too close and we don’t want it to cause in structural damage. I just hope that once we destroy the blackberry bramble (AKA the backyard) that we will find an orchard of fruiting fig tree.
Me guarding the tree that I hope will be apart of my garden.
-Victoria
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