Barefoot Wnter

This new year has finally brought mornings when I cannot go outside barefoot any longer.  The nights are now much cooler, although mother earth or father time has not blown a frosty breath across the yard just yet.  We have been harvesting persimmons most of the month and made cookies, cake, pudding, eaten them raw, and finally gave the last of them away to neighbors.  The texture is not for everyone, but we do love them.

I took this just as the sun was coming up the other morning.  I am always re leaved to see that once again this year neither the crows, squirrels or raccoons have found these.  They seem like some odd exotic import from a more tropical land and hang over the holidays like ornaments on the tree.  They cannot be picked until they are just becoming squishy.  If picked hard they still have alum and cannot be eaten.  We bring them inside and let them get even softer for a day or two and then they can be eaten from the shell with a spoon like gelatin.   They are perfect orbs of potential.