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Back in the spring, Valerie got the urge to add a number of fruit trees to our home – in spite of the substantial sum the prior owners of our home had spent on professional landscaping.  On top of that, she was convinced that the last remaining Asian pear tree for sale was over on the far side of Seattle, and that we had to leave right now just in case someone else bought it first.  But, she promised, the tree would rapidly bear lots of delicious fruit that would make it all worthwhile.  I was somewhat suspicious, especially since Costco carries fairly nice Asian pears year round at a not-exorbitant price, but the non-mutual excitement level was already so high that there was only one way the story could go from here.

Well, sure enough, the tree wound up bearing fruit!  And unlike the other trees and plants we have in our garden, the location of the Asian pear tree prevented the entire harvest from being lost to a mysterious combination of slugs, bugs, raccoons, rabbits, moles, birds, Leo, and who knows what else.  Here’s a picture of one of the delightful fruits it produced:

Indeed, everything seems perfect until you put things in perspective a little:

Considering that the Asian pear tree is among the most successful plants in our garden, it’s safe to say that our weekly produce bill hasn’t been shrinking. But I am assured that trees need time, and that next year, things will be different :).