Being alert is overrated

"January 17, 1994:  Cold -- earthquake in California.
January 18, 1994:  Cold -- not above zero all day; wind chill -30 degrees.
January 19, 1994:  Cold.  No Busy Bees.
January 20, 1994:  John and Helen here in p.m.  Helen and I played Scrabble.  Rose T. came home from hospital."

Confession time -- I seriously dozed off in the midst of composing the last entry.  So after I came around, I fed the cats, released the guineas and tended to the ducks.  (Dogs were fed earlier.)  Now I am more alert.  There is an orange cat that is trying to adopt us even though Tony, the previously house-bound but apparently very territorial cat, keeps chasing it off.  I know this happens because there is much kitty growling and screeching going on during the event.  Poor orange cat -- I looked out the upstairs window yesterday and saw that even the wild turkeys give it grief.  They were closing in on it and it was slinking away when I saw them.

Back to 1994 -- I had to keep going with entries until I found good news.  Glad Rose was back home and one would imagine, feeling better from whatever sent her to the hospital to begin with.

Here's a photo of a more alert me, albeit with a rather cheesy smile.  No comment needed on the outfit -- I was stylin'!

Mid-January

January 14, 1994:  Lester came home from hospital.
January 15, 1994:  Tom and Merilyn came in p.m.  They stayed at John and Helen's for the night.
January 16, 1994:  Tom and Merilyn here for dinner -- played Pitch in p.m.  Tom took wood home."

Good news that Lester was home from the hospital, but otherwise it looks like a somewhat ordinary January.  Which as I've probably mentioned before is not all bad.  Appropriately, here's a photo of the woodpile.

Scrabble drought

"January 8, 1994:  Greta took me to store for groceries.  Helen and I played Scrabble -- first time since early November.  Three funerals at St. Paul's this week -- Goldie Hilpert, Juliene Miller and C. O. Witt.
January 9, 1994:  Greta came and put the Christmas decorations away.
January 12, 1994:  Arlene and Art took me to Dr. Sprik -- don't go again until July.  Went to Ladies Aid."

That's quite a dry spell with no Scrabble.  But Grandma probably kept sharp and in shape with crossword puzzles or those anacrostics puzzles if she had any laying around.

I remember hearing C. O. Witt's name here and there more than I remember him for himself.  It seems to me that Michele and I went to his place when we were pretty young, but still old enough (back then, at least) to go wandering around by ourselves.  I think Mom worked for him at one time way back when.  My recollection from a child's perspective is that it should have been in business forever.  I thought it was unique and special and a place where good things happened.

For no particular reason, here's a photo of Grandpa and Uncle Elmer drinking PBR, something I am pretty sure was not served at Witt's.

Childhood names carry on

"January 2, 1994:  Wacker farm building burned down -- a complete loss.  Greta took Lester to hospital -- has a sort of infection in his left leg.
January 6, 1994:  Cold and windy -- wind chill of - 40 degrees.  Mickie T. and Lila H. here in evening to audit church books.
January 7, 1994:  I had Bonnie F. play Pinochle for me at Arlene R.'s.  She entertained for the play off party."

I wonder how many people still call Mick Topp, Mickie.  There can't be that many other than family but it makes me smile that Grandma did.  Of course, Ann Behmer always called Tom Tommy, I am pretty sure.  (That looks funny....the comma with Mick/Mickie looks odd, but not using on for Tom/Tommy is equally odd.  I guess there is no winning on that score.  I should have just re-worded my sentences.)

Is the Wacker building the one that had the cat inside that Mom walked by and "petted" through the window every day?  If so, I wonder if it perished in the fire.

How nice to have a comment from Jim Hansen on yesterday's post.  And how ironic that his mom's name popped up today.  Obviously, I did not know Lila like Mom and Grandma and Grandpa did, but I did find her delightful.  And Grandpa really, really enjoyed her company and making her laugh.  Thank you Jim for commenting and even reading this blog since it is quite one-family-centered.  I'll have to make an effort to be a bit more worldly, or rather more Winside-ly in the future.  Welcome aboard!  Somewhere we have photos of your boys in Grandpa's garden.  Will have to see if I (translation = Mom) can find those.

Instead in my new effort to be more Winside-ly, here is a photo of . . . Winside.  Can't see Wacker's building; it would be too far away even if it was built when this photo was taken. 

December 1993

"December 13, 1993:  Lester took me to Lutheran Hospital -- had cataract surgery on left eye.
December 14, 1993:  Cold and icy.  Art and Arlene R. took me to Dr. Sprik for check up.

There's December in a nutshell.  I suppose that surgery had something to do with the lack of entries, but otherwise I'm stumped.

Up next, we are back to frequent entries starting with January 1994.

Since Lester got a mention, here's a photo of him.  Could have been taken in the 1990's...not sure.  Tom looks a little tipsy and I am not sure who is behind Mom making her less than her bubbly self.  Quite frankly, the whole scene is confusing to me.  But Lester is having fun, so that's good.

Lots of October

"October 15, 1993:  Helen had Raymond, Marina, Howard and me for dinner.
October 17, 1993:  At night Raymond, Marina, Greta, Lester and I ate at the Brass Lantern.
October 18, 1993:  Raymond and Marina left.
October 20, 1993:  Busy Bees.
October 22, 1993:  I had Pinochle Club.
October 28 and 29, 1993:  Snow flurries."

I don't normally put so many entries in one post, but oddly enough, this is it until two brief entries in December and then we are on to 1994.  Maybe I will find another journal where Grandma put something more for this particular time period (perhaps she misplaced this journal and recorded elsewhere) or maybe she was just too busy or pre-occupied with things to write stuff down.  In any event, I thought I'd clump the rest of October together and hit December tomorrow.  And then we are to 1994.

No Aunt Marina pic this time, but here's, among others, Grandpa and Uncle Raymond and Uncle John, who I imagine was also at the dinner on the 15th. 

Life getting back to normal

"October 8, 1993:  Elta J. had Pinochle club -- I traded days with her.
October 9, 1993:  Froze last night.  Tom came after Raymond and Marina, brought them back Sunday evening.
October 13, 1993:  WELCA.
October 14, 1993:  Raymond and Marina took Howard and me to the Black Knight for supper."

Not much here except normal, which is well . . . normal.  Another outing to the infamous Black Knight, that place I don't remember.  I bet if I were able to go again (which I'm not), I might remember it.  Ah well.  I think I will happily live out the rest of my life without remembering but I do get a kick out of recalling something I thought was long gone from the data bank.  Here's a photo of an occasion that I have a legitimate reason not to remember.  Wish I had those photographs hanging on the wall.

Not a happy time

"September 18, 1993:  Pinochle at Marie H.'s.
September 30, 1993:  Irene died.
October 1, 1993:  Raymond and Marina came.
October 2, 1993:  Nancy, Tom and Merilyn came.
October 4, 1993:  Irene's funeral."

Unlike several occasions Grandma has mentioned, I do remember the events surrounding these particular days.  My post title says this was not a happy time, but I imagine it was for Aunt Irene; to be free of the constraints on her body and joyful spirit.  She was freed from all that. 

Am I right?

"September 15, 1993:  Busy Bees ate dinner at the Black Knight in Wayne.  Helen and I played Scrabble in p.m.
September 16, 1993:  Merle Knicker called that they'd be here tomorrow evening or Saturday a.m.
September 17, 1993:  Merle and Arnold came in evening -- visited.
September 18, 1993:  I made thin pancakes for breakfast.  They had dinner here and left in p.m."

I am wondering about my memory -- are Merle and Arnold the people from California, or somewhere west, that had a health food store that the Osmonds frequented?  That's all I can dredge up, other than that they are relatives.  And the people I am talking about brought something with carob in it.  At that point in my life, I had never heard of carob.

Speaking of points west, here is the ocean, with Anna's feet in it.  Wrong ocean, but who will know if I don't say so?

Ice!

"September 6, 1993:  Nancy back from Wisconsin about 6:30 -- left at 8:00 for Lincoln.
September 8, 1993:  Johanna's funeral in p.m. -- ELCA meeting after the funeral lunch.
September 10, 1993:  Pinochle at Ida F.'s.
September 13, 1993:  TOPS -- Dianne J. joined.  Ice on bird bath this morning."

Ice on the bird bath?!  Glad we aren't having that kind of a September here in 2012.

And I hadn't thought of it, but Mom is right in her comment from yesterday -- that recent photo of Dorothy Jo does put me in mind of Johanna.  I don't know why I didn't notice it myself.

Here's Grandpa and the bird bath and a bucket of bird "feed", probably.  I think I see the bird bath heater in there, so no more ice that year.  Wonder if that is melted ice floating on the top; maybe the heater was brand new and that's why the photo was taken.

Johanna

"August 30, 1993:  Nancy came in evening.
August 31, 1993:  Nancy left with Lois, Mark and Jeff for Wisconsin to visit Jean and see Mark C. in a golf tournament.
September 5, 1993:  Johanna died.  Went to Lincoln for Dane's birthday -- dinner at Mary's."

I don't remember that I did so much entertaining.  Glad that I did.  Just noticed that I am over halfway through this first notebook of Grandma's.  Best be starting now to find the next in line.

I have nothing but fond memories of Johanna.  If she ever spoke a harsh word to anyone, I never heard about it.  This photo is from 1988, the first family reunion after Grandma and Grandpa's 50th anniversary grand get-together.

The Raymond Joneses

"August 22, 1993:  Bill and Jayme here for dinner.
August 24, 1993:  Raymond Jones and family came to Helen's.
August 29, 1993:  Potluck dinner at Helen's for Raymond Jones family.
September 2, 1993:  Raymond Jones went home."

Grandma back-tracks a bit in my next post, but she was kind enough to put all the Raymond Jones family stuff together.  How thoughtful.

I know I've used the photo before, it is from 1990 and has Aunt Helen in it, so . . . close enough.  I don't have anything of the Raymond Joneses scanned and ready to use.  Can't you just hear Aunt Irene giggling?  And it's a really nice shot of Aunt Helen.  Oh, shoot -- it's nice of everybody.

Just stuff

"August 7, 1993:  To Norfolk in a.m. to see Irene.
August 8, 1993:  Nancy left for Lincoln about 2:00.
August 11, 1993:  Served at WELCA.
August 12, 1993:  Greta took me to Norfolk to buy a new recliner.
August 13, 1993:  Pinochle at Ella M.'s.
August 15, 1993:  Went to church for a change."

Plenty of entries by Grandma, but not a lot of meat on any of them.  I notice there is nothing recorded for what Grandma paid for the recliner.  Very tricky.  Grandpa's stuff usually has a price tag.  Funny.

Since it is unlikely that Grandma will have much to say about Otto Boock in the normal course of events, I'll post his photo today.  I do not know who is with him, but she's pretty cute.  I am guessing on the "she" part.

Details count

"August 3, 1993:  Carol T. and Greta here in late p.m.  Nancy and I to Norfolk after that.  Got some .080 line for the weed eater for Howard.
August 4, 1993:  Nancy to Hartington and Laurel in p.m. -- stayed all night in Laurel with Karen Young.
August 5, 1993:  Nancy back in a.m.  We visited Johanna and Sophia in p.m."

I am guessing Grandma was so precise with putting down the type of line for the weed eater so that she would have it down and at the ready for the next time.  That is what I would do anyway and of course, great minds think alike.

I do not know who Sophia is, I don't think.

For anyone reading who is not Mom or Nancy, Karen is the person that the goat Paul pushed in to the trunk when she was getting stuff out after a trip.  Paul, as I remember him, was a real piece of work.  Nancy readily admits that she and whoever else was around did nothing to help Karen other than laugh at her for her trouble.  I can believe that since Nancy and Mom came out after hearing me scream/shriek/beg for my life when Paul was standing on my back.  Now, I managed to overcome it all and turn into a relatively well-adjusted person, but to laugh at a helpless five-year-old being stood upon by a goat . . . oh, okay, I probably would have done the same thing.  How I do wish I had a photo of Paul.

Since I do not have a photo of Paul, here instead is a photo of Jim and Dale and I with two burros.  Looks like I have a brush in my hand so I must have been "helping".  I must say I have my best "model posing with animals" pose going on there.  The camera loved me.

Apricots again

"July 25, 1993:  Howard, Greta and I to Dale's for the July birthdays.  All except Bill's family there.  They had just returned from a week's vacation in Minnesota.  The apricot tree was loaded; branches touched the ground especially after a rain.  I made about 25 quarts of sauce and froze it.  Greta got some of them.
August 1, 1993:  Nancy came in p.m.
August 2, 1993:  Nancy took Howard to Dr. Voss in Pierce to have his prescription for high blood pressure pills renewed."

Here's another big apricot story and again I'm clueless.  Oh, well.  I am getting used to it.

Sorry but this is the only picture I had handy with Grandpa and Mom and Nancy in it.  Had to use it; it's the law.

Pitch

"July 17, 1993:  Tom and Merilyn came in p.m.  We played Pitch until 9:30 and then they went to Helen's for the night.
July 18, 1993:  Just Tom and Merilyn here for dinner -- had such a good visit.  Greta came in p.m. -- played Pitch again.  Tom and Greta weeded all the flowers -- they look so nice now.  Called Marina for her birthday.

I know it's the weekend and this is yesterday's post that I am just getting to now today, but I am drawing a blank here as to what to comment on or about.  Pretty normal stuff.  And it goes without saying that it was a nice visit....our family ALWAYS has nice visits.  Maybe it was exceptionally nice, which is totally believable.

Here's a photo of Tom when he wasn't playing cards; just hanging out with a couple of cute kids.

Hope someone called Noah

"July 9, 1993:  Over 1/2 inch of rain last night.  Terrible floods in Iowa, Des Moines especially -- also in southeast Nebraska, southeast South Dakota and northwest Iowa.
July 13, 1993:  More rain last night.
July 14, 1993:  WELCA meeting.
July 16, 1993:  Pinochle Club at Laura J.'s.  Arlene R. took me to club."

It is a bit odd to read about flooding when we are currently in a drought.  It's not always feast or famine; we just talk about the feasts and the famines.  The photo is not from that year, but I imagine it took a great deal of rain or watering to get cabbages that big.  Look at Anna's cute little bare feet!

Peas and beets and morality

"July 5, 1993:  Nancy took me to Norfolk in p.m.  She left for Lincoln a little after 5:00.  Nancy and Greta picked peas in a.m.
July 6, 1993:  Canned two quarts of beet pickles.
July 8, 1993:  Almost two inches of rain last night."

I can't think about beet pickles (yum!) without thinking of poor Dale having to leave the house when Grandma was canning them.  The smell drove him straight up a tree.  I like beets and beet pickles, but I must admit the cooking smell is a bit odd.  More so I would imagine if you don't care for them.  That's another memory and something that has obviously stuck with me -- we weren't allowed to say we hated a food or even that we didn't like it; had to say we didn't care for it.  How nice and gentle.  And to know that now today the f-word is flung around so carelessly.  It will become commonplace in my lifetime, I suppose.  But then once upon a time short hair for women and wild dancing signaled the end of civilization . . .

Somewhat appropriately, here we have a photo of the beet planter and the beet don't-care-for-them guy.

Dorothy Jo, then and now

"June 23, 1993:  Rained a little last night -- a little cooler today.  Cost $164.09 to have Pontiac fixed.  Kenny Fleer died June 20.  Memorial services at church on June 29.  Dorothy Jo in hospital 11 days.
July 2, 1993:  Pinochle Club at Elta J.'s.
July 3, 1993:  Nancy came in p.m.
July 4, 1993:  Family picnic at Dorothy Jo's -- a nice day.  Betty Jo came for picnic."

Well, I stand corrected on my previous Dorothy Jo comment.  I am not sure at all when she was in the hospital, when she got home, or anything about the food Grandma took to her.  But at this point, I guess it doesn't really matter.

And speaking of Dorothy Jo, here's a recent photo of her and grandson Brayden that I plucked off of facebook.  This is after the game where he ran in for a 60 yard touchdown.  They both look pretty happy about that.

Father's Day 1993

"June 18, 1993:  Pinochle Club here.
June 19, 1993:  Nancy came in p.m.  The Pontiac won't start.  Norris here in evening.  John, Helen, Greta here, too.
June 20, 1993:  Father's Day.  Greta, Nancy, Mary and Mitch here for dinner.  Greta and Nancy weeded the flower beds.  The girls sorted the "stuff" upstairs -- old things.  Tom had three fireplaces in a house to finish before Monday.  Bill was getting ready to go to Niobrara with Jayme to a Boy Scout Camp.  Jenny's back is bothering her, John and Helen here awhile in p.m."

Hmmm.  Looks like Dale got a pass -- no report on why he wasn't up for Father's Day.  I imagine he had a darned good reason.  Jayson, too.  I don't remember why Rick wasn't there.  He usually was up for a trip to Winside so long as he didn't have to work.  Oh, well.

While the photo is interesting from a "back then" perspective, I certainly hope we were having a better time than the expressions would indicate.  No one looks thrilled at all and some of us look downright perturbed (Grandma and me, mainly).  Nice cheeks, huh?

Rather sobering events going on

"June 15, 1993:  Helen and I took food to Dorothy Jo.  Afterwards we Scrabbled.  Dorothy Jo in hospital.
June 16, 1993:  Had both fans and air conditioner on today.  Our thermometer showed 95 degrees.  Howard went with John and Helen to Warren Jacobsen's funeral.
June 17, 993:  Permanent in a.m.  Finally finished quilting Kyleah's quilt that Greta made.  Rained.

Not to nitpick, but shouldn't the part about Dorothy Jo being in the hospital have come first?  And if she is "in" the hospital, they probably wouldn't need to take food to her.  I'm guessing she was already out and back home.  Rather poor composition for a former English teacher, I must say!

I'm not in a foul mood, but it seems that that criticism is my only comment.  Speaking of foul moods, I couldn't resist re-using this photo with Kyleah in it.  Her expression never fails to make me laugh.  Poor little thing with that mean big brother.

Laurel Centennial

"June 11, 1993:  Marjorie, Nick and Valerie visited awhile this evening.
June 12, 1993:  Nancy came at noon.  She had been at Laurel since yesterday p.m. for the centennial.  She stayed with Karen Young last night.  We visited at John and Helen's in evening.
June 13, 1993:  Played Rummicube at Greta's in p.m."

I don't have a lot of memories about Laurel itself.  I remember both the places Nancy and Jim lived outside of town but that's different.  I do have a vague memory of being at the insurance office with Nancy once.  It was a sunny day.  I am going to go out on a limb and say the front window faced south.  That's all I have.

Here's a photo of Nancy dreaming of insurance and a centennial celebration or two in her future.

57th Anniversary

"June 7, 1993:  Our 57th anniversary.  Martha, Dee and two grandchildren came to see house and my quilts.  In p.m. Jean, Kelly, Lindsey, Marjorie and Dorothy Jo came to visit.  Jean and Marjorie are here for the Laurel Centennial this weekend.
June 8, 1993:  Helen and I to Nelle T.  Duane died late Sunday p.m.  Helen and I played Scrabble afterwards.
June 9, 1993:  Windy yesterday and today.  WELCA today."

This was supposed to be posted yesterday, but I was fairly unorganized.  And I guess my thoughts are still a bit that way because I can think of nothing to comment on here.  So, I'll just post a photo of Dane since yesterday was his birthday.  The photo was picked because of Dane, but along with having a cute baby in it I just love the expression on Grandma's face.

The Fearsome Six-some

"June 3, 1993:  Howard found a potato the size of a small walnut -- he ate it raw.
June 4, 1993:  Bonnie F. played for me at Pinochle Club.
June 5, 1993:  Brogren reunion.  Tom, Bill and Nancy gathered the silk flowers from the cemetery before we had dinner -- at Legion Hall.  After the reunion the four kids set out all my flowers!!  They had a lot of fun.  After they finished we had coffee -- the first time in years just the six of us were together.  Saturday afternoon after reunion Darrell and Marva H. came to see 'Grussfather and Grussmother's' house.  Looked at my quilts, too."

What's not to like about these entries?  We have it all, in no particular order -- garden, quilts, family, ancestors, flowers, coffee.  And I am guessing the weather was wonderful.  No reason I should think that, but it just seems fitting.

This was an easy photo to decide on.  Just looked for the first one that caught my eye that had the Original Six in it.  Handsome bunch.

Crack that whip!

"May 28, 1993:  Nancy came in p.m.  Started housecleaning upstairs.  To Alumni Banquet in evening.
May 29, 1993:  Nancy continued work upstairs -- put flowers out at cemetery.
May 30, 1993:  Ate dinner at Legion and Nancy finished upstairs.  Too wet to set out flowers.  Month of May had more cloudy, rainy days than sunshine -- real depressing."

Well!  I certainly hope Nancy rested after all that activity, both work and pleasure.  I wonder how late she was able to stay awake at the banquet.

And so as not to leave on Grandma's depressing note, here is a cute photo of Dale.  (Like they all weren't cute....)

Petunias

"May 22, 1993:  Greta and I to Wakefield to buy petunias, etc.
May 23, 1993:  Greta, Howard and I to Wahoo for Jayme's confirmation.  Nancy, Tom, Merilyn there, too.  Also Sandy and Hazel -- friends of Jenny and Bill.
May 24 - 27, 1993:  Sorting, cleaning and putting things upstairs."

They are quite ordinary, but I really like petunias.  And they seem to like me.  I had volunteer petunias for many years until we cleared out that particular flower bed and had a deck built above it.  Granted, the volunteers were all pale lavender and didn't have the variety you can get by buying new each season, but I appreciated that they tried so hard and came back so nicely.

I learned this just now from wikipedia:  "Petunia is genus of 35 species of flowering plants of South American origin, closely related to tobacco, cape gooseberries, tomatoes, deadly nightshades, potatoes and chili peppers."  How nutty is that?

I know the photo is of tulips but with all the dry and brown going on right now, I thought some green and other colors would be welcome.  And we get Grandma's behind as a bonus.

Heart on the mend

"May 12, 1993:  Pentecost breakfast.  Talked to Marina in evening -- home from the hospital already.
May 14, 1993:  Pinochle Club at Ida's.
May 19, 1993:  Busy Bees ate out at noon in Norfolk."

Darn it!  Work is getting in my way of updating this again.  Glad to have work, actually, and so am not really complaining. 

I guess I was right about Aunt Marina being okay.  The more I think about it, I recall Grandma and/or Grandpa commenting on how quickly after surgery they had Marina up and walking around.  Rather unheard of compared to how they used to do things, but better obviously, or they wouldn't be doing it that way.  Some one is always out there learning something.

For no real reason, here is Anna on the 4th of July in 2001, hopefully not giving herself heart palpitations with all that smoke.

Little bit of everything going on

"May 5, 1993:  John had a cataract removed this morning.  Marina was to have her heart surgery.  Don Orvis came with bill for the shingling.  It was $272 instead of the $400 he gave as an estimate!!!  Greta came and helped Howard plant some more garden.
May 9, 1993:  Mother's Day.  Greta, Howard and I to Lincoln.  Howard, Nancy and I at Tom's for brunch.  In p.m. Bill's, Dale's, Mary's and Greta came for visiting and lunch.  Kids gave me a cordless phone -- combination birthday and Mother's Day -- also received cash."

No report of Aunt Marina's surgery, but I seem to remember it all went well.  Otherwise, everything here is plenty straight forward. 

Since the celebration was for Mothers' Day, here are five moms.  Well, not all were moms at the time, but you get my drift.

Good times, bad times

"May 2, 1993:  To church.  Greta, Dane, Nancy and I ate at the Hitching Post at noon.  Nancy and Dane headed home between 3:30 and 4:00.  
May 3, 1993:  Howard was asked to be an honorary pallbearer for Bill Hawkins.  Ddn't go because of the steps at Methodist Church.
May 4, 1993:  Helen and I Scrabbled in p.m.  Irene is on the rampage -- very abusive -- uses rough language."

We really should have been keeping track of the number of times Nancy brought Dane up.  What fun.  The first kid does usually get the best deal, but he didn't get tooooo spoiled and the others don't complain (much), so it's all good.

The words "rampage" and "rough language" shouldn't go in the same sentence with Aunt Irene's name, but as I said in an earlier post, those things happen.

Oooo!  Where did those bowls go?  My birdie friends would like them.  And check out Aunt Irene's necklace!

Apricot trees

April 29, 1993:  Started quilting Kyleah's quilt that Greta made.  One day this last week Anita and her husband Paul stopped to visit.  They've been married four months or so.
April 30, 1993:  Back to clouds and rain after two days of sunshine.  Pinochle club at Leona's.
May 1, 1993:  Nancy and Dane came in a.m.  Apricot trees are in full bloom and beautiful, pink and sweet smelling.  Nancy house-cleaned the downstairs bedroom."

I thought all the apricot trees were cut down long before 1993.  I don't remember helping pick up any around that time, ever actually.  Maybe at this point they weren't producing much fruit.  I am drawing a total blank.  I do think I need to plant an apricot tree on our property though. 

Not sure how this photo is remotely relevant, but I like it.