My parents moved to the countryside after they retired a few years back. The village they live in is a small one located in the western part of Romania, close to the border with Hungary. Their house is set right by "the Crisul Negru" which would translate to "The Black River". It is a beautiful area with lush countryside landscapes and good people.
One of my dad's passions is gardening. He planted an amazing array of trees throughout the years and now he can enjoy their fruitfulness. The bowl pictured here, showcases only a small part of all the orchard has to offer. From apples, to pears, to grapes, to peaches, to apricots, to figs, and so much more he manages to have good productivity from them all.
This lush plum tree is my favorite in terms of pictures subject. I took this shot towards the end of July and as you can see the tree was giving up under the weight of so many plums. I can only imagine all the pies and jams this beauty can make.
The plums fallen on the ground are picked and given to farm animals. Pigs have a feast at them, and who could blame them?
These peaches were just too delicious. I might have eaten one too many, I'm afraid.
And then the quince tree is yet another story. I fell in love with quince so long ago. Their distinctive flavor is what I miss the most since I moved to U.S. Unfortunately food stores here do not carry them. However, this past fall I had my dad pack some and mail them to me. I couldn't be happier when the mailman dropped the package at my door. Here's a picture of the quince tree in July.
And here are the quince that I received in the mail, in October. Fully ripe and aromatic. Love that puff they have on their skin. They show so good in pictures.
One thing my dad is proud of is the variety of grapes he has. Once again, July wasn't exactly the ideal time to photograph them since grapes get ripe usually in the fall. I did however manage to photograph a few earlier varieties.
I loved the fruity, sweet flavor that every little grape had. They are most delicious served with cheeses and crackers on a warm summer evening.
I couldn't leave Romania without styling a brief still life with all this fruit, could I now?
My dream is to visit Romania in the fall one time, and to be able to take pictures of his orchard when all the fruit are ripe and bountiful.
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