DADDY'S OLIVE TREE

When my parents moved to Texas one of the first things they did was cultivate the soil in the backyard for a beautiful and bountiful garden. They planted fruit trees throughout the yard and grape vines over a beautiful arbor. When my parents lived in Massachusetts they did not plant fig, apricot or olive trees because of the harsher climate. However in Texas with the warmer climate my father was so pleased to plant and grow figs which are a family favorite.  And not long after the move to Texas my dad also planted an olive tree which reminded him of Italy. He took tender care of the olive tree and his gardens. My mom would often send care packages with all kinds of goodies from home. And they usually included fresh grapefruits, oranges, herbs and delightful treats from their garden. When my father died his olive tree was 19 years old and had grown into a most beautiful and sturdy tree, great for shade and for firm ripe olives. And as we later found out, one of the oldest olive trees of record in South Texas. Friends from the school in San Antonio where my sister Anna worked had a tree planted in our dad’s memory. That is where Anna met Sandy, proprietor of Sandy Oaks Olive Orchard. When it came time to sell my parents house one of the hardest things was leaving the gardens, olive and fruit trees. So when my sister Anna suggested that we donate the tree. We loved the idea. We donated the tree to Sandy. It was only fitting that Daddy’s tree should continue to be cared for and loved as he so gently cared for it over the years. Sandy came to my dad’s house and transplanted and transported the tree to her Olive Ranch. In her generous spirit of kindness and hospitality she also transplanted some of my dad’s fruit trees to my sister Irma and my brother Jack’s house, both who lived just a few miles from my dad’s so that his fruit trees could continue to thrive under their loving care.   Irma has daddy's lemon tree and Jack has his grapefruit tree and they are producing fruit beautifully. A few years ago my brother sent me a care package of grapefruits from daddy's tree, you can see them in the pictures above.  The Olive tree has been settled in at Sandy Oaks now for a number of years and the tree is doing well and thriving under the loving attention and care of Sandy. It has a special place of honor in a garden next to her house and it continues to grow big and strong. There is a little bench right next to the tree and we have been given an open invitation to visit anytime. The world is full of the goodness of the Lord!!