Snowbirds

A snowbird is someone from the U.S. Northeast, U.S. Midwest, Pacific Northwest, or Canada who spends a large portion of winter in warmer locales such as California, Arizona, Florida, Texas, the Carolinas, or elsewhere along the Sun Belt region of the southern and southwest United States, Mexico, and areas of the Caribbean.
Snowbirds are typically retirees who wish to avoid the snow and cold temperatures of northern winter, but maintain ties with family and friends by staying there the rest of the year.
(a lovely Wikipedia explanation)

(watering time out back for the three snowbirds)

Meet the snowbirds:
One kumquat tree, which just might just have an identity crisis as there is question as to whether or not it might just be a calamondin tree.
One recovering meyer lemon tree—recovering not from addiction but rather from a near death experience.
And a bare naked small peach tree.

This threesome is “over wintering” in my basement. Do you recall the post back in September “Don’t you know this isn’t southern California?” The post in which I was near sheer panic due to the fact that the kumquat / calamondin tree had really big nice round green fruit and that in just a few short weeks the first frosts of the season would be upon us?

And as fate would have it, those pretty little green orbs were not about to change before the frost hit—therefore sending me and the trees on a wild race of transportation down to the depths of the basement. Ever tried lifting giant potted trees into the back of a small trailer which is pulled by a Four wheeler, then lowering them down on mini dollies all in order to “roll” the trees inside for the duration of winter? Do you know what a hernia happens to feel like?!

Well today was a lucky day for these little winter birds—the temperatures were such today that the trees could actually be rolled outside for a bit of much needed fresh air, a good hose watering minus the watering can, as well as the pleasure of actually enjoying a little bit of warming sunshine. According to the forecast, I think it’s safe for them to remain outside until later in the week—when freezing temps return. Boo hiss—please remind me to bring them back inside!

All of today’s in and out business has made me mindful of the importance the sun plays for all of us living creatures. Not only will a little time outside, in the sun and fresh air, be beneficial for my little trees, it is certainly beneficial to me and my own winter blue mood. There is much truth about this sun business, especially for those who suffer from S.A.D. or Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Be it a very real Vitamin D deficiency or simply the blue mood feeling of a tinge of depression that you just can’t put your finger on or pin point exactly why. . .
A lack of sun and fresh air is vital to the well being of most living creatures–with the exception being, perhaps, the naked mole rat, but I digress.

Nowhere else do we see the important role sunlight plays in our lives more poignantly acknowledged than in the small Norwegian town of Rjukan. A small town similar to other small towns worldwide but it is here in Rjukan where the mayor worries over the overt paleness of the town’s children.

For more than half the year, the 3400 residents of this small town, nestled deeply in the Scandinavian mountains, are without any direct sunlight as the sun rays are blocked by the tall lumbering mountains. Day in and day out the residents of Rjukan live literally in the shadows.
If townsfolk want to see and feel the sun, traveling out of town is the only remedy.

It wasn’t until 3 large reflective mirrors were installed that the residents of Rijukan realized just how much they’ve missed the sun. As the reflective mirrors redirect sunlight down onto the town’s central square, residents have noted how much they are not only warmed physically, but more importantly they are “mentally warmed.” There is even a YouTube news spot showcasing how the mirrors work—

But to me, what is notably telling about how well the mirrors are working is most strikingly observed by how local residents are now congregating in the square just to sit, feeling the sun warming their faces—relishing in the simple act of enjoying the sun which so many of us take for granted. Young mothers now push baby carriages into the sunny area of the square as older couples come to just sit together basking in the warmth as they rekindle their own warm memories. . . all while the sun beckons the weary eyed individuals to come find a warm spot of color in the otherwise grey world of shadows.
(here is a copy of an article appearing in The Guardian:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/06/rjukan-sun-norway-town-mirrors )

So if you’re finding yourself a bit out of sorts, feeling overwhelmed by this never ending winter of snow and ice or if you simply feel as if you’re living too deeply in the shadows. . .take heart— remember the sun will shine again, there will be warm days ahead and if all else fails. . .find a sunny spot, turn your face skyward and soak in a little vitamin D.

Fruits of my labors, still gathering kumquats / calamondins in February!! Crazy tree!!!

“Don’t you know this isn’t southern California….

“…what don’t you get about this whole seasons thing? This may be the South but we do have seasons you know, as in colder weather, as in frost and freezing temperatures…!!!! turn orange already for Heaven’s sake!!!!”

This is what I could be heard saying to my Kumquats yesterday, nice green little, unripe, orbs. What’s up with this tree, doesn’t it understand we don’t have all summer, in fact, Summer officially closes with the passing of Labor Day!

I bought this Kumquat tree two years ago. I wrote a post about it, and my meyer lemon tree, back in the Spring. Yes, Spring, when things were hopeful—then came the Summer of deluge rains and grey skies. Let’s just say the Lemon tree is now just a few shoots growing out of its former little trunk. Yet on the flip side, I’ve got to hand it to the Kumquat tree—persevere it has!

Remember how I told you that I roll these puppies back and forth throughout the winter??—outside on the sunny warmer days, back in the garage on the cold wet days??—and of how many times they have fallen off of their dollies in mid transport… sending pots, dirt, trees and Julie, donning her pjs, every which way??…as this is usually happening around 10:00 at night when I finally catch the weather report with the warning of freezing temps…..

But I’ve been bound and determined to nurse these babies to full fruit production!! The meyer lemon tree is bound and determined to die—which I simply will not allow . It may be sprigs of it’s once former self, but there will be lemons again—one day–despite the fact that I’ve only gotten 3 lemons off of the tree, ever.

The kumquat, well, for some reason, it thinks that late summer is the perfect time to form fruit. The first year I bought the tree, it was indeed late summer–and it was loaded with fruit. I waited and waited, checking it each and every day for the perfect time for my small harvest. August came and went, as did September…into October—-are you kidding me!!!??? Our first freeze is early November, I can’t have unripe Kumquats sitting around waiting to freeze.

Just days before the first freeze, I’m out plucking beautiful orange fruit along with the green orange tinged stubborn orbs. “Whew, just in the nick of time…” That first batch of kumquats was bound for my calamondin cranberry relish—of which I use kumquats as there is nary a calamondin within miles of Georgia. This is a top secret family recipe and essential for fall meals, not to mention a Thanksgiving Turkey.

So here I am, once again, beginning my late Summer/ Fall panic watch of the kumquats. And to top off my worries, look what I found while pruning the bushes….

Do you know what that is? It’s a wooly-bear caterpillar!—well at least that’s what I’ve always called them. Do you know what it means when you see wooly-bears this time of year? It is a sure indication that there will be an unusually cold winter. “DO YOU HEAR THAT KUMQUAT TREE?”

The possibility of what will be

“Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.”
Pope John XXIII

This is a picture taken of my little kumquat tree, now in full bloom. It is just now putting out some fresh blooms—hopefully meaning I may have more than the single kumquat from last season. I have two fruit trees, I keep in large planters as they are not hardy in our region during our winters, forcing me to have to roll them in and out of safety throughout the winter months as they do not tolerate freezing temps very well. They relish being outside in the late spring through early fall but once the threat of a hard freeze in eminent, I struggle getting the planters up on small dollies, keeping them on the dollies all winter, allowing me to push and pull them to the garage as needed.

One plant is the kumquat, pictured, the other is a most sad looking Meyer lemon tree. Two years ago, when I bought them from a local nursery, they each produced a good bit of fruit. I was so proud of my lemons– and the kumquats went towards a secret family recipe for a cranberry kumquat relish (the recipe actually calls for calamondins but those are not found anywhere near me, so I’ve substituted the kumquats as they are found in the grocery stores)—the relish is made and served all through the holidays much to my husband’s joy.

Last year, sadly, was a different story and I’m certain it has to do with the whole pollenating thing of having just the single tree plus the stress and strain of rolling around all winter. The lemon tree produced no lemons–each tiny new lemon would simply whiter, dying and falling off the tree. Then a late spring freeze did a number on its new growth. I’ve had to cut it back so that it resembles more of a stick poking out of a pot then a beautiful tree. The kumquat tree produced just 3 kumquats, forcing me to head to the grocery by the time the holiday season rolled around in order to buy enough for the recipe.

I do baby them as best I know how, cheering and rooting them on to bloom–hopefully giving way to their beautiful fruits. Each tree currently is blooming and keeping the bees busy. The Meyer lemon tree actually has several small lemons, about 10, but whether they will grow and flourish is yet to be seen—but I am always hopeful.

These small trees have a mighty potential… just like us– as we all have a mighty potential. Unfortunately we often get caught up in our failings rather than our successes. We focus more on the negatives more so than we do on our positives. My husband wonders why I continue bothering with the trees–this when I’ve forgotten to roll them to safety around the 10:00 PM news, when I just hear of the impending freeze, forcing me outside, usually donned in only pajamas..frantically pushing the trees to safety. How many times they’ve tipped over from the dollies, pots cracking, me scooping up tree and dirt, wrapping in duct tape until I can properly repair my damage……

But continue I do because I know what is possible… not only from the trees, but from myself as well. Not that I expect to be a master fruit tree producer, but because I know I can care for two trees which can in turn offer us something wonderfully rewarding. It’s just a matter of seeing the possibilities and believing I can get it right…eventually.

That’s why I like today’s quote so much—there are always hopes and dreams…there is always unfulfilled potential. There is never a reason to quit and give up, not as long as there is still energy and a will….I never give up hope—that’s not to say I’ve never been depressed or felt defeated…but as is usually the case, I regroup my strengths and energies–always giving it another go, another chance, another fight….pushing forward till I get it right…

Here is to unleashing the possibilities within us all…………

“Lemon tree very pretty…

….and the flower smells very sweet, but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat”

Photograph of my struggling Meyer tree who has spent the winter being wheeled in and out of the carport–the Kumquat tree looks much healthier. We will see if either tree will bear fruit this year.