Cherries!

I don't know how I didn't notice this before, but there are so many cherry trees around here that I'm surprised they haven't been dropping on my head. There are two behind the dorm on campus, and one in the garden of a home that butts up against the small driveway entering campus. There's also two hanging over the fence of a woman's house next to my office. And quite a few line the walking path from our village to the next bigger town.

The cherries are ruby red now, and about 1/3 smaller than the ones you usually get from Washington.

I've been lusting after those cherries, particularly the ones by the office. I love cherries and in the States they're usually so expensive in the Midwest that I only get 2-3 bags a summer.

I saw the neighbor today. After we asked each other how we're both doing, I asked, "Koennen wir nehman kirsche?" Literally, this means, "Can we take cherry?"

She got visibly excited and I thought she said something to the effect that a friend was coming to help her pick the fruit and that she would bring us something. I didn't know if that meant just the raw cherries or something she was baking.

A few hours later, a huge bucket heaping with jewel colored cherries sat on the doorstep with a note from her. Now I understand -- her friend came before and they had picked all these cherries. I guess they had more than she knew what to do with -- her trees looked like they'd never been picked, there's still so many. She has at least 3 trees. I was quite happy to help her with this problem. :-)

I split them with the couple living in the apartment in the office building.

So now I have an enormous bowl of cherries I need to figure out what to do with. I just baked a heavy raspberry pie, using frozen raspberries, on Sunday. I guess I'll pit these and leave some to eat and freeze the rest until I have empty casserole dishes to bake with again.