Love Thy Neighbor

It's not hard to do when one has such great neighbors. Like the neighbor who gave us a barely used queen size air mattress and two remote control cars (which have kept the kids busy for days). Or the neighbor who brought over a twelve pack of Sierra Nevada to say "thank you" for the home brew George had shared.



Then of course the neighbors who delivered to my front door a huge box full of apricots from their tree, and their children who came over to lend a hand in my kitchen.



Prepping apricots for the dehydrator (which I scored for a buck at a rummage sale).



Washing the never ending stream of dirty dishes.

I should also mention the neighbors who invited my kids over to swim for several hours the other day, which allowed me time to process even more apricots.



Yummmm. Apricot jam, sweetened with a little sugar and a little honey, an apricot kernel in the bottom of each jar to impart a subtle almond flavor (and a little cyanide - but not enough to harm).

An old neighbor stopped by Monday morning to say hello; she moved to Mississippi last summer and was in town for a friend's wedding. It was wonderful to see her and give her a jar of jam, made from the apricots which once hung over her back fence. Good fences may make good neighbors, but George and I both agree that fruit trees make even better neighbors.

So if you can, plant a fruit tree near a fence, share its fruits, and see how easy it is to grow love for thy neighbor.