One of my cousins invited me to a property on a mountain which she was assigned as caretaker. It has been years since the last time I visited that place so I agreed. I told her that I will meet her there after I attend the mass celebration in the morning.
When I arrived, I was surprised to see that the yard surrounding the old cabin is cleaned of weeds. My cousin do not live there. She just visits once in many months so I was expecting grasses taller than me and covering the cabin. I was wrong. She must have come just about a week ago.
That tree in the middle is guava. There were so many overripe fruits that fell under yet there were still many to pick on the branches. The fruits were noticeably small like marbles, a few were just a bit bigger. I looked up, jumped to catch a branch and inspected the fruits. They were ripe. It is just their nature to be small. I wonder what variety it is.
I can't wait picking so I started with the branch I was holding. My cousin handed me a bag to put the fruits into. When I can't reach anymore of the other branches, I climbed. My cousin had to push my butt to help me finally pull myself up on the branches.
I was enjoying picking while on the tree. I can"t help reminiscing the good old days...
This was my life! My elementary childhood days were revolving around farm living which I was used to farm produces. Climbing trees was just as normal as playing. More so with fruits that were my "source of income" at a very young age.
Almost every day during those times, I carry to and sell in school a bag of whatever fruit my mother had gathered from the farm the previous day. Guava and passion fruit were the most common. I was allowing credit back then. I remember a classmate who still owe me since our first grade.
Since I was selling in school, I did not have to ask for daily allowance from my mother. There were instances when I was the one giving money from my sales to her when I got home. Not asking for daily allowance was something that I later heard from my mother starring to others. I felt proud. Just to be clear nobody asked me to do the selling, I just wanted to. I was actually conscious when fruits were not in season so I asked what else I can sell. My mother would help me with rice delicacies or kakanin as alternatives.
The first bag got full. My cousin was quick to be handing me another empty bag as she reached up to take the full one. Apparently, she was observing me.
I was shy at first that she might thought how shallow I am. But then the moment cannot pass without having a remembrance. I asked her to get my phone from my bag in the cabin and take a photo of me while picking up on the tree.
She handed me the phone to be unlocked. Since it was already with me then selfie on the tree was only proper. 😁
I handed her the phone down. She called me monkey while taking my photos. I just laughed continued picking. I do not recall how many shots she took. I had to delete a few afterwards. At least, she gave me choices.
Ah these shots... again, this was my life!
My cousin noticed the fruits that I was not able to reach and she handed me a stick to poke those towards the farther end of the branches. She must have noticed my enthusiasm that she's inspiring me to be able to pick more.
When the second bag was finally full, I jumped down. A few steps away from the tree and I noticed my right leg felt heavy. Something seems hanging by. I looked down and saw the collateral damage. The sole of my bought-from-the-US-but-made-from-China shoe gave up. It may have been when I was pushing my right leg so hard on the Y-branch to keep the balance. I was already feeling uneasy with the shoe but I ignored. The Y corner may have bent the sole so hard.
I looked back up at the tree and there were more that I missed picking. I tried to jump for more but eventually gave up when the sky turned dark. It was time for lunch break after all.
While in the cabin, I kept looking back at the tree. If only time permited, I could have climbed again. I could have just stayed up on the branches to enjoy the view of the valley below (though it was cloudy) while looking back to those good old days; those days that molded to who I am and who I will be.
This was one real good Sunday that is well spent and something to look forward to again.
HAHA, I remembered my elementary days when because of guavas I could get free papers in exchange for it or sometimes money so I have something to buy, I also remembered the days when my teeth fell out when eating that hard and unripe one, and sometimes I cried when I had a bowel movement if you get what I mean😁.
Trading guavas for school supplies... that sounds like me in those days. Diskarte ang tawag dun! 😄
Yap, I know about the bowel movement thing. I actually had it last Sunday night after the climb. I think I got so excited that I ate more guava than I should... 😄
😊😁🤙🌺hi there girly in a tree! :P kamusta!
your poor shoe tho.. oh well, it was worth it cuz u had fun and got some good fruits! :)
I am doing well, thank you! Ikaw po, kumusta?
Now the shoe is my problem on when and where to have it repaired. 😄
😁🤙 troubles! I'm all good as well. not so good new from the dentist.. got to have some teeth pulled, but then i get a FLIPPER! 🦷🐬🐬🐬 cool!
Flipper? You dive?
:P it's what the dentist calls the partial (like just the front of the upper teeth.. dentures) hehehe.. like Flipper the dolphin!
Oh, dentures! 😄
Ah ah, because of this I can't also help but remember those days where I will climb on the guava tree and after pumitas dun na din mismo kakainin, lol. Those days That I still jump on it and not afraid talaga coz I have small body pa. Ang sarap nila balikan, ang sarap bumalik sa ala ala ng childhood natin where fun is everywhere. Simpleng buhay but full of happiness naman ✨🤩❤️
Yap, simple life was a happy life. Life is still happy today. It is just that there were things in our past that the present cannot replace. Priceless!
Oww, this post feels nostalgic. I remember climbing guava trees from childhood. Brings back a lot of good memories.
Yap, those were the days... 😊
Oh i missed those old days too that I can still climb every fruit trees i wanted. I am also climbing guava back then, santol or cotton fruit, mango, marang and many more. I also used to sell fruits and banana cue in the school until I am selling some candies. I can't forget potchi and star fruit sila ang una kung bininta na candy back in fourth grade.
Amazed ako sa bayabas sis kasi ang daming bunga. If im not mistaken they were a native guava. Tutubo sila kahit saan sa bukid lalo na ang ma bata na kumain nito ay magc-cr lang din kahit saan kaya daming tumutubo na bayabas sa bukid (smiling, remembering our childhood days).
Negosyante ka rin pala noong kabataan mo. Parang ako, kung anu-ano binibenta sa school. 😊
Mismo! Tingin ko ganun yong bayabas ba inakyat ko. Wala naman sinabing itinanim yon eh 😄😄😄
lol, sabi ko na nga ba eh.. dami din sa tabi ng daan kasi kapag tinatawag na ng kalikasan, stop by lang sa tabi-tabi.. nakakamiss din sa bukid.
Well, to be honest, I amnot sure. I just assumed since no one planted that guava tree. 😄
hahaha parang ganoon na nga @macoolette. Eat and spread its seeds para marami pang bayabas soon... anak or apo mo naman ang aakyat sa kanila hehehe
Parang ako noon. Taga akyat sa puno ng bayabas haha
Apir tayo diyan! 😁
I remember during my childhood days, we always pick fruits like guava, mango and makopa during summer vacations and we'll eat together under the trees I suddenly miss this activity. Hahaha
It will be good to experience it again from time to time. 😊
A beautiful day that brought in the good old days experience, I love guava and the view shown.
Regards😊😊
Indeed, it was a beautiful day! Thanks for dropping by my post.
You are most welcome😎😎
Ang dami mo'ng napitas sis. Naalala ko tuloy yung time na dahil sa katakawan ko sa bayabas, yun nahulog ako. Haha
Yap,ang dami kahit ang liliit nila kaya nakakatuwa. 😁
Okay lang mahulog noon. Ngayon okay lang umakyat, wag lang mahulog. 😄
Kaya nga. Kakamiss yung experience.
Oo, nakakahiya nadin kasi yun. Hahaha
I can't even imagine myself pag ako ang nahulog. 🙃
Kaya ngayon I suffered back pains talaga.