Bleeding Espresso

23 November 2007

we have blossoms!

While walking with the pooches yesterday morning, I came face to bark with a tree that had seemingly blossomed overnight. I certainly didn’t remember it so full of life the day before. Where was I looking?

I don’t know about the day before, but now I see a truly gorgeous tree with lovely thick, strong, furry leaves and sweet-smelling, bellissimi blossoms:

Anyone know or care to guess what kind of tree bears such blossoms?I *know* some of you know.

Today I’m thankful for:

Citrus season! It’s starting now and by Christmas, we’ll be inundated with lemons, oranges, and clementines. And I love me some clementines.

Isn’t Mother Nature wonderful that she gives us these sweet, juicy, bursting-with-color treats smack dab in the dead of winter?

Genius.

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Technorati Tags: nespole, loquats, blossoms, flowers, nablopomo, 30 days of thanks

31 beans of wisdom »

31 beans of wisdom to “we have blossoms!”

Something... on 23 Nov 2007 at 8:35 am #

Would it be a ‘Nespolo’?
We have one on our terrace at Positano but it seems too early in the season for blooms yet.
something... on 23 Nov 2007 at 8:48 am #

Sorry! I just asked my husband who was in Positano in mid-October. He said the buds were just begining to open then! Just shows you how much I know about the seasons in Italy.
Anonymous on 23 Nov 2007 at 9:57 am #

i think they are nespole too! My MIL has lots of those trees. They are my husband’s favourite fruit. When the fruit are in season (early summer) you can find him standing under the trees eating his heart out. It was also a deciding factor buying or house in NZ; that there was a nespole tree in the garden full of fruit! Vanessa
PS happy thanksgiving for yesterday
My Melange on 23 Nov 2007 at 3:40 pm #

Um, I would have guessed dogwood, which I am sure don’t exist in Italy..so you can’t count on my for horticulture advice They are very pretty though. On another note..again I am with you on those juicy clementines! Love ‘em, just love ‘em!!!!
sognatrice on 23 Nov 2007 at 4:18 pm #

*Something, Vanessa, ding ding ding! As far as I know this is indeed a nespole tree. Guess I’ll know for sure when the fruit comes

*Something, we definitely didn’t have buds in October. Or maybe I just wasn’t paying attention

*Vanessa, OK when a tree is a deciding factor in a housing decision I’d say there’s a fruit obsession involved. Thanks for the Turkey Day wishes

*Robin, I love dogwood, but no I’ve never seen it here Just after I posted this, my neighbor brought me some clementines! Yeah!
Jen of A2eatwrite on 23 Nov 2007 at 5:27 pm #

Oh, thanks for this breath of fresh air! It’s frigid here in Michigan today, although beautiful. Citrus sounds lovely.
Greg on 23 Nov 2007 at 5:36 pm #

The inhabitants of climates that produce citrus fruits during the months known elsewhere as winter are forbidden to use the phrase “the dead of winter!”
sognatrice on 23 Nov 2007 at 5:54 pm #

*Jen, you’re welcome!

*Greg, you do have a point, but it gets cold here too. OK, not usually below freezing, but for those of us who suffers through 120 degree days in the summer really deserve some mild winters, no?
Taffiny on 23 Nov 2007 at 6:16 pm #

That is genius. I just assumed the orange in the Christmas stocking, in the past, was because it was such a luxury item, I didn’t realize it was also that winter is the citrus season.

I have no idea of what tree they are from, but they look like they would be marvelous to touch, silky petals, fuzzy furry areas, and those green leaves.
Taffiny on 23 Nov 2007 at 6:22 pm #

just read comments, I have never heard of nespole trees, but as they have fruit, I am sure I am a fan.

What sort of fruit? Most like a …..

A post Happy Thanksgiving
Megan in Liguria on 23 Nov 2007 at 6:53 pm #

Happy Turkey Day a day late! Can’t wait to try your pumpkin muffins…yum!
Anonymous on 23 Nov 2007 at 7:12 pm #

ah sognatrice, you underestimate the power of sicilian good luck. Have a tree at home = my favourite tree = must be good luck/ a sign for the new house half way around the world! IN fact, we are going home at xmas so my husband can eat those nespole! He is sick of looking at the winter blossoms….

We also looked at selling that house and buying another one, and yes, you guessed it, that was also a ‘good’ house due to the nespole tree in the garden….

Taffiny I think the english name is loquat. They look like apricots. Have a tough skin that you must peel off before eating, and inside there are 3 large stones/ pips . The flesh tastes very ho hum IMO, quite bland.

Vanessa
sognatrice on 23 Nov 2007 at 7:29 pm #

*Taffiny, oh yes; my former employer used to go to Florida for the winter and always send us a crate of oranges and grapefruits for the office…definitely citrus season!

As Vanessa says, these are “loquats” in English and you can read more here. Notice the resemblance in my leaves and blossoms!

Soon I’ll get some photos of the fruit, assuming this tree bears some.

*Megan, thanks, and I hope you enjoy the muffins!

*Vanessa, thanks for the nespole description (I agree with your assessment); and ah yes I had discounted the superstition factor. How could I?!
Kristen on 23 Nov 2007 at 7:45 pm #

Oh my gosh… I am dying to know what kind of tree makes those blossoms. Beautiful!
sognatrice on 23 Nov 2007 at 7:47 pm #

Kristen, check out this link Thanks for stopping by!
Shameless on 23 Nov 2007 at 8:00 pm #

Pooches and face to bark. Lovely!
sognatrice on 23 Nov 2007 at 8:11 pm #

Hi Shameless, glad you liked that
Deb R on 23 Nov 2007 at 8:32 pm #

Those blossoms are beautiful and they look like they’d smell so good!
sognatrice on 23 Nov 2007 at 8:35 pm #

Deb, to be honest, the smell is why I had to snap off a blossom and bring it home
african vanielje on 23 Nov 2007 at 9:36 pm #

Sognatrice, I’ve never heard of Nespole but we grew up with a loquat tree in our garden. It sat just at the side of the house where we had a little suntrap lawn that collected late afternoon rays. We’d often do our homework out there (or strew our homework books on the grass while we practised our handstands) while our golden labbie sat on her chubby bottom, with her head in the tree. We soon realised that the snuffling noises where her, eating the loquats off the tree. She would just slurp them up and then spit out the skin. SHe also used to wander down the rows of vines picking off fresh hanepoot table grapes at whim.
Frances on 23 Nov 2007 at 9:40 pm #

Oh what a pretty picture.
I’d love to put this on the group blog along with a pic of your lovely feast.
Drop me a line and let me know if it’s okay.
I love clementines too.
Much bloglove,
Frances
Kelly Malloy on 24 Nov 2007 at 1:59 am #

Those flowers are so beautiful!
Jeni on 24 Nov 2007 at 2:54 am #

Cool! THe only thing “blossoming” here in central PA is my behind I think from over-eating yesterday! LOL Too much good food for sure!
Wanderlust Scarlett on 24 Nov 2007 at 8:15 am #

You had me guessing!

And you had me wondering… blossoms? In the dead of winter? It snowed here again today; just a dusting, really, but I know we’re on the same latitude and I don’t see any blossoms out of my window!

What are you growing over there young lady?

;o)

Scarlett & Viaggiatore
Wanderlust Scarlett on 24 Nov 2007 at 8:17 am #

PS~ Hope you had a good Thanksgiving!

Scarlett & V.
sognatrice on 24 Nov 2007 at 8:23 am #

*AV, what a lovely memory and what a crafty, fruit-loving dog!

Nespole (NESS-powl-ay) is just the Italian word for them, which is probably why you haven’t heard it

*Frances, I’ve sent you a message

*Kelly, thanks–I can take *no* credit for them Thanks for commenting!

*Jeni, hah! I remember those Fridays after Thanksgiving well. That’s part of the reason all that shopping is needed, IMHO…work it off!

*Scarlett, oh I’d love just a glimpse of snow. Here it’s been rather cloudy and threatening to rain but still quite warm–OUTSIDE the house. Inside the stone and tile creature that I love so much in the summer, well the fire is necessary even when it gets into the 60s during the day. Insulation is not their strong suit

I’ll definitely take some photos of the nespole when they’re out; can’t be long now
Anonymous on 24 Nov 2007 at 9:25 am #

hi, I’m another South African girl, yes those are definitely “loquats”. They were my craving when i was expecting my first baby - 27 years ago. I love the ones with smal pips. I also love your blog.
charmaine@smitgarrun.co.za
erin on 24 Nov 2007 at 10:28 am #

Yay! clementines…we LOVE those too and have been eating at least a good handful each day
sognatrice on 24 Nov 2007 at 10:44 am #

*Charmaine (I’m assuming that’s your name from your email address), welcome, and thanks for sharing your loquat love! Hope to see you around more often

*Erin, I’m going to have a couple *right* now
myfrenchkitchen on 26 Nov 2007 at 4:01 pm #

Clementines…I have already indulged in so many and still got room for the rest of winter!
To me this beautiful photo of yours also looks like a loquat(in South Africa called lukwart) fruit tree, in Italy it seems to be called Nespolo. A delicious fruit, not so easy to eat perhaps, but tasty nonetheless.
ronell
sognatrice on 27 Nov 2007 at 8:09 pm #

*Ronell, yes, the loquat it is! I can’t wait until the fruit comes so I can take some photos of those