It’s summer, the sky has cleared announcing yet again another California season. By now flowers have settled into their usual routine, unfurling their petals to the sound of the birds chirping around in the morning and then slowly folding back again at dusk. The tip of blades of grass are turning yellow from the sun, warm wind weaves through trees. Its June, it’s the harvest season and it’s finally summer!

Mom’s garden still resembles spring, not yet ready for a change in the weather. Every morning there is the sound of splattering water while she waters her flowers, corn and tomato plants. On the backyard, against the fence corn plants are carefully lined up as if ready to yield their offerings. On the other side the three tomato plants are crowded with fruits. Under the fig tree there is another tomato plant leaning against the trunk and then there is my strawberry plant hanging just beneath the umbrella-like fig leaves. It had three or four strawberries after that…nothing. We have our orange and apple tree that we planted in early  spring, they won’t bear any fruit until the next two years or so.

There was once an old plum tree opposite the corn plants, right next to the bamboo trees. It had the most beautiful blooming flowers, white and pink, you would have thought it was a snowball. The tree was adamant in giving its best harvest this year, green plum fruits were everywhere, very distinguishable through the leaves. We loved it. In the beginning of this month the fruits were starting to turn purple, some were already washed down with the rich deep color. That tree was alive, the vigor of life held it strong and steady. But then one afternoon a strong gust of wind came, shook the tree to its roots and it tumbled over, falling hard on the ground. It hit the ground with a loud thud and that was it. Later when we examined the tree, wondering what had caused the incident, we discovered that the tree had no root at all. The trunk was all dried and rotten, no sign of ruptured veins or anything of that matter. It amazed me how healthy and strong the tree looked, it hid it so well.

A wide hole remains after dad dug up the remaining of the old tree. I miss it’s shade especially now that it’s very sunny outside. I miss it’s presence and it’s shadow during sunset. We’re thinking on replacing it with an orange tree, a lemon tree? Or maybe a plum tree. We’re indecisive. But oh that plum tree was strong and beautiful.

In other news our small peach tree in the front yard bear only two fruits this year. Two nice round juicy fruits, why two? I don’t know honestly. Everyone has at some point come close to the fruits, stared at them for a good few seconds or so, tempted to snatch them off the stem and ran off. I know I have but I always restrain myself. I know mom keeps a good look at them, she knows the thieves are lurking around. She has said that when the right time comes we’ll eat them, together. A little tiny piece for everyone. How delicious!

But guess what? One of the fruits got stolen and everyone pointed fingers at one another. No one took the blame. Mom grabbed the one remaining fruit cut it into small bite size pieces and gave it to all of us, even Rio got his share. Next year hopefully everyone will get a whole peach to eat.

The garden looks brilliant and colorful. Soon the green tomatoes will reveal its colors, red and yellow. Baby corn will sprout under the arm of the long leaves. This month there will be harvest, all of mom’s and dad’s hard work will show fruits, colorful fruits.