Peaches for a Viking

I entered the lobby of the theater and the temperature was set at about 92. It was hot. As I stepped in I was “whew!!” The lady in line ahead of me looked at me. I looked back and she smiled. Is it hot in here or just me? She smiled again and said, “No it is rather warm in here.” Rather warm out there too. “Yes” she says “it is too hot outside.” WHAT??? Did my ears deceive me? Another soul who feels 74 in January is too hot. “It is winter.” She says, “I miss winters being cold living here.” Me too! Do you know what else? This weather behavior will kill all the peaches. They have been dormant, now that it is hot they will think it is spring and blossom and then we will have a freeze in February and it will kill off the blooms and they will not come back and we will not have a crop of local peaches! She just stared at me as if I had grown a third eye. 

                           Third Eye Art Print Abstract Surreal Skull Goth by AndreaBengeArt

I blinked and smiled. She tilts her head and continues to look at me. “You know, I never thought about what this would do to the local crops.” My guess is she failed to know we even had local peach crops. I do NOT like this weather and I do NOT like what will happen to the peaches I proclaim. She just looks at me and a moment later she is rescued by the line moving forward.

As I step up to the ticket counter the woman there asks me if I am military. I giggle. Not in this life but in a past life I was a Viking Warrior I am sure because I like the cold. She giggles, so I add, Not that I believe in past lives or reincarnation. “Of course not” she says.

According to a report from Texas A&M Peaches are the number one deciduous fruit crop in Texas. There are over 1 million peach trees planted here. It goes on to say “Late spring frost continues to be the single greatest factor limiting orchard profitability, and growers should plan on losing one in six to seven crops even in the best of orchard locations.” Listen to this all you winter haters!! Peaches require a certain amount of winter chilling in order to break dormancy, bloom and grow normally in the spring. Take your pick! A few months of cold so we can have fresh peaches or buy rock hard or rotting peaches from Chili? Peaches with no taste, no soul, and no flavor. Peaches from other states, other countries; shall we here in San Antonio, home of the Alamo and the brave men and women who stood, fought and died for their beliefs, become dependent people or shall we flex our muscles stand up and declare we will sacrifice our tube tops for a couple months because “OUR” peaches are worth it!!??

I can hear a cold wind blowing outside as I write this. Good. I am dreaming of a peachy adventure sometime in May….