Hi, Everyone!
I hope you're well. On Saturday 23rd September, the Autumn Equinox, we went pear picking. On the way there, I could see Higanbana (Red Spider Lilies) along the roadside. They are a beautiful flower said to line the path to the underworld for souls of the dead to follow and bloom for 1000 years. They appear a lot in "Immortal Cultivation" comic books.
When we arrived, it was quite warm and we sat in a hut where we could eat pears. I had never eaten a Japanese pear before and I found them to be more similar to apples than European pears. The knife used to cut them is well designed; it cuts well and is much safer than a traditional European fruit knife. The pears were firm, juicy, sweet and a little sour in the middle. I really enjoyed eating them.
After eating, we went to pick the pears. I was surprised by how low pear trees grew since I imagined them to be tall like apple trees. I picked small pears but the students who went were professionals who picked big pears. However, mine had a good scent which means good flavour. There were spiders' webs to avoid, so it might not be good for arachnophobes.
After getting hot, we stopped at the farmer's market where they sold grapes, preserves and ice-cream. I had a grape ice-cream cone which had a refreshing taste of summer. Sitting on the bench, eating ice-cream with butterflies flying about was relaxing. The play area was popular with the students, especially the trampoline. A certain brother and sister pair went back for a second serving of trampoline fun.
Once we finished, clouds began to gather. So, we were fortunate to have missed any bad weather. It was a lovely experience and I really appreciate being invited along. I wonder if Japanese pears are available in the United Kingdom. If they are, I'm sure they'd be great in a pie. Do you enjoy eating Japanese pears? Or do you just like picking them?
Kind regards
John