Harvest Time

September is harvest time. Already on the picturesque loops of the Lot in France, Zappa suddenly disappeared without a trace during the siesta in the midday heat. At first, I didn't think much about it, it happens from time to time, he disappears into some profound thoughts or stares into the air. I watch the craftsmen on the other bank during their lunch break and doze off. After about 20 minutes, I wake up and my companion is still missing. Now I have to check on him - and I find him under a hazelnut bush. Like a squirrel, he collects the nuts, the big bowl is already full. When he notices me, he generously declares that the rest should probably be left for the mice. And I thought I could provide the whole family with hazelnuts for the winter.

There are almond trees everywhere on the dusty Spanish country roads, which, similar to apples here, receive little attention from the local population. We are on our way in Aragon on a hot afternoon to buy bread. With French small villages in mind, we imagine that it shouldn't be a problem to find a bakery in the next town as well. The narrow streets require some driving skills and after the third round through Candasnos, we have to state that there are indeed some houses for sale here, but no bread. In front of the only bar, a few seniors sit with empty glasses and are probably speculating about which hut we want to buy. But before one of the señores can make his dilapidated property near the countless pig farms attractive to us, we move on. After a round trip of about 50 km, six Aragonese villages, and a full bag of almonds, we end up at Lidl again.

Fat blue figs fall from the trees everywhere and we can't eat as many as we would like.

In a nectarine plantation, the black men completely forgot to harvest a small tree, there is no one nearby and the juicy fruits shine in the southern sun! Who could pass by without picking them? I quickly gather a whole bowl full of these indescribably sweet nectarines, whose aroma will never be found in our supermarkets.