stunted growth...

...on the peach tree

just look at this... it's really pathetic - this little peach has been this same size now - for the past month and a half... i kid you not - boo...

it all began well enough - in fact, i was very excited about the whole prospect of there even being peach blossoms on the tree this year - it seemed like they arrived early, coming in abundance - filling the tree with fragrant perfume... but that was in march...

then small peach buds began appearing - the peaches growing at an alarming rate of speed - me believing i might actually be harvesting them now the way they were going... not to be however. the weather gave us wind... one of the worst hailstorms in history - drought - now we're finally getting some rain... i wonder if that hailstorm could've destroyed the crop? it knocked off nearly half the load - struck down branches, too - littering the yard with debris... resulting in this weirdly stunted growth pattern along with an unhealthy appearing greenish colored peach pit thingy... even the birds and squirrels are leaving them alone - not picking at them in their usual fashion...

so it may be - no peach jam - peach salsa or peach butter this year... no standing in the heat of a kitchen - back aching - feet hurting - sweat dripping down my brow during the canning process... does this make me sad? i suppose... however - the simple thought of not enduring all of that - also makes for...

a

happy day.....