Momma's Fruit Trees

It is planting season. My mother purchased some fruit trees about a month ago because she wanted to plant something on the property her parents owned where she now resides. She was raised by a man who loved to farm and garden. He was always tending his garden when he had time. He was also a plumber and an all-around handyman.

Her mother loved to feed the chickens and help sow and bring in the harvest. She would shell pecans and shell peas. She would snap beans. She would shuck corn. She would pull tomatoes and pluck mustang grapes. She would sit the bowl in her lap and busy herself well and fancifully. 

My grandfather was not a man of letters, but he was a man of ingenuity. He knew how to put things together, even a life that was filled with obstacles and adversity. His right hand man in planting and tending was often my mother when she was available. But more often than not, he was a solo endeavor kinda guy especially after my grandmother died.

Momma is turning 77 this year. Her father died when he was 79. That was almost 20 years ago. Her mother died in August of 1987. She was 67 years old. That was nearly 34 years ago. So, she has planted fruit trees because she wants to leave her mark as she begins to come to terms with her own mortality. 

The property use to have plum trees, Asian pear trees, peach trees, and pecan trees everywhere in addition to hogs and chickens and the space made for the garden. All of that abundance has been gone. There are a few remnants such as a couple of pecan trees and some wild peach trees. But, the trees don't produce in full bounty. Maybe the peaches can be canned but not eaten off the tree like in days of old. The pecans are no where nears as plump and brimming with the buttery taste of southern ripe and ready pecans.

The times they are always changing. This time of gardening in the family is drawing to a close. Not one of my parents' children garden. Not one of my grandparents' grandchildren garden. Perhaps this forth generation might pick it up. Perhaps when the land is passed on to my generation, I might get me some fancy motorized equipment and carve our a few lines and plant something for the sake of old times forgotten.