The here and now... and what and why

Complacency is a trap. At least that’s what I was thinking when I up and left the comfort of a Yankee prep school gig, where I taught music, amongst other things, for 28 years. There was also that life long career as a composer, musician and artist.

First, it was a year in St. Thomas, USVI, working as a reporter and shooting photography and then, a year in San Agustin Etla, Oaxaca, Mexico.
Time passed.
More time passed and a year back in the Athens of America followed by a hasty return to Oaxaca where it is all happening.
A couple of years in San Sebastian Etla and now, just down the road in San Pablo Etla. Life is good.

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For additional photography please visit my flickr page.
You can find my music on Jango (World & latin - Worldbeat) and at iTunes and most online stores.
¡Soy consciente de todas las tradiciones del Internet!
If you are coming to Oaxaca, please contact me for tours or advice.

Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo
The view from Corazon del Pueblo

The hereafter re me

My photo
Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
Musician, photographer, videographer, reporter, ex-officio teacher, now attempting to be a world traveler

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Misperos


Misperos

Just came in from eating misperos. I had never heard of them before. but I happen to be living in a relatively perfect climate for them and they are in abundance right now. Actually, they have been ripening over the last two months. They are nearing the end now as the rain has become infrequent and they are drying out before fully ripening. I think the flavor may be more intense because it is concentrated.

I am a plant nut and no matter where I am I always, somewhat obsessively, try to learn as much as I can about the plants I see. I love St. Thomas because the weeds by the sides of the roads are the high-priced houseplants in Boston. If you have ever read The Secret Life of Plants you will have an idea as to the depth of my interest and caring about plants.

But I digress…

Misperos. I remember my first sighting of them. In August, they were not quite ripe. but looked like small peaches or apricots. I wondered about the wisdom of picking unknown fruit off of trees – would I get sick? - and I wondered what they tasted like.

Now I know. I walk outside and pick them regularly. The dog eats them too.

They are quite small and they have a soft skin like an apricot. I peel the skin. The dog does not. The taste (I had to go out and eat one just now) is a combination of peach and mango with a nice tartness.

They are also known as loquat or Chinese plums.

A mispero is about 75 percent seed. There are two or three large shiny brown seeds in each one. The first time I saw the seed I thought it was animal droppings. They are large and actually attractive.

There are misperos for sale in the markets. I don’t imagine they travel well. I understand that they grow incredibly well in this area. As do gardenias. It would sure seem so. They are everywhere and the trees are completely laden with fruit.

As I walk the grounds here in San Agustin, I can pick pomegranates, limes, oranges and misperos. I even picked a tangerine this morning. There is a fig tree that is looking healthy too.

In the pueblos they are harvesting the corn and preparing for the Day of the Dead.
One sees fields of marigolds being grown. It is the flower of choice for those celebrations. I will go and shoot just before the harvest.

It has not rained for days now. The dry season is coming.

Henry says it gets so dry, you never think anything will grow again.....

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I live in NorthEast LA and there are míspero trees everywhere! I guess we have a near-perfect climate LA too!

One can walk around the neighborhood and pick them off trees walking along, with all the orange, lime, lemon, and avocado trees.