Thursday, September 13, 2012

The Magic Windowsill

 
 
About five years ago, Chase was going through a major fruit loving phase.  So, I found myself in the grocery produce section perusing the fruit selection. Bananas, apples, strawberries...those were the obvious.  Pretty much tasty, no matter what. I admired, however, people that ventured out, feeling brave enough to eat fresh-from-the-store peaches and and pears.  Chase would wolf down Grandma's bottle peaches and pears.  But fresh?  They were always rock hard, and flavorless.
 
While wishfully staring at a selection of pears, I eaves dropped on an adorable elderly couple, happily choosing solid green ones that were hard enough to shatter a windshield.
 
Since I am apparently not shy, I unabashedly asked them how in the heck they ate such firm pears...and enjoyed it.
 
 They told me to put them in my windowsill.
 
I think I heard a chorus of angels singing softly over my shoulder.
 
From then on, everything and anything has found it's way to my windowsill.  There is nothing my windowsill can't ripen.  Including dry, mealy, flavorless tomatoes that we are forced to eat from grocery stores when our gardens are under snow.  I can ALMOST get them to taste off-the-vine.
 
Almost.
 
I am sure that I am slower than most.  I am betting that I was the last person that received the memo on how to ripen hard-as-a-rock produce.  If you already knew this trick, well, good for you.  If you didn't, well, there you go.
 
Enjoy.
 
Maybe for my next trick, I will tell you where the source of the smell comes from in your bathroom, if you are raising boys.
 
It's a good one.
 
Unless you already knew that one, too.