Monday, November 18, 2013

Under the walnut tree

The walnut tree is one of two that I know in our neighborhood. This one stands alone in the vineyard out behind the house, very close to a thicket of acacia that lines the banks of a small stream making its way down into the river valley. In years past I've picked up fallen walnuts from beneath the tree. I've noticed a neighbor of ours doing the same thing.

The local walnut tree is a good place to stash a grape-grower's guide wire.

The nuts are small and there aren't many, and in some years there aren't any at all. Callie will find one or two on the ground when we walk by and stop to crack them open and eat the nut meats. She's good at that. So good that, whenever I crack walnuts for a recipe, she'll sit up close to me and beg for one. Later, I'll find a little pile of cracked shells on the carpet without a trace of the tasty nut to be seen.

9 comments:

  1. Just your luck, Walt...no sooner had EDF buried their wires than the local grape-growers started stringing wires from trees.

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  2. Sometimes Callie feels like a nut!

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  3. Another beautiful shot of those golden vineyards. And perfectly framed by the walnut tree. Great work.

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  4. Here, in walnut-growing country, at our cheapest, bulk food store I pay $6.97/pound for shelled walnuts. I haven't been buying very many walnuts this past year, rather I've resorted to peanuts ($1.48/#) and almonds (sliced at $ 4.68/#). I would be gathering up any walnuts I found if I knew of one that was on public land!

    One of those leaves caught my eye - I thought it might be a bird(!). It isn't.

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    1. I will be looking forward to les plusieurs recettes dans le prochaine année avec les noix!

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  5. abstract, thanks!

    dean, go figure!

    evelyn, sometimes she don't! lol

    stuart, the color is striking this time of year!

    michael, :)

    mary, a friend of ours gave us a huge (and I mean huge, like 10 lbs or more) box of walnuts from her tree. When we asked if she really wanted to give us that many, she answered that she has five more boxes just like it in her cellar. And, she still has nuts left over from last season (which she also shared with us).

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  6. The only place I've ever seen walnuts is the grocery store.

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