We have to say that there is less fruit on the park's trees than we have ever seen here. Last year, this tree was covered with oranges at this same time. This year you only see two!
The orange tree closest to us is a favorite with the resident birds. By the time the fruit ripens, the birds have already pecked a hole through the rind, and then neatly removed all the juicy fruit through that opening.
Another sign that the citrus season is crazy, are the blooms on our closest tree. These usually don't appear until mid-March. But this year we're seeing many trees in the park in full bloom in mid-January.
A tree shouldn't be blooming when fruit is still on the branches. But you can see the fruit in the blurry background behind the blooms. We wish we had the capability to share the sweet scent of these citrus blooms with you. It is Denisa's favorite smell in the world.
With fewer pieces of fruit on a tree, some are growing to gigantic size. This is a lemon from a neighbor's tree, and it is bigger than Denisa's hand. We made lemon ice and lemon pudding from a couple of these big fellows.
Last year we were juicing oranges and drinking pitcher-fulls every couple days. But for the first time in the six winters we have stayed in this park, we have purchased fruit and juice. We finally got to squeeze some fresh fruit this week, but it may be the last time.
One good place to buy fresh produce is the local pulga. That's the Spanish word for "flea" so this is a local flea market. Most of the vendors speak only Spanish, so they keep the pricing structure simple--most things are bagged in units that cost one dollar. We had been buying 5 avocados for $1, but today they were two for $1. Mangos were 6 for $1, and large bell peppers were 3 for $1. A $1 bag had 20 limes in it. The watermelon was $2. Last time we bought 3 pineapples for $1, but this week they were $1 each. So it's always a fun shopping experience with interesting bargains.
We weren't in the market for birds, but they are also available at the pulga.
Besides citrus and other fresh produce, we have other interesting options for food here in south Texas. We enjoy eating with the locals at the pulga, ordering things that we don't know how to pronounce. We also eat most of the meals prepared in the resort's kitchen. Aptly named "The Y-cook Cafe" we don't see any reason to cook if we can get a good meal just a short walk from our front door. They use volunteer help in the kitchen to keep the prices low. This year we are volunteering on ice cream nights, and we are working on our swirling skills to make a pretty serving of ice cream.
By checking the local "Winter Texan" newspaper, we find other resorts that have meals that are open to the public. We've tried Taco Tuesday and Fish Friday at other parks, as well as breakfast buffets in the area. So after losing weight this summer while we hiked up north, we can tell you that we are gaining weight as we eat our way across the south.
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