Gifts From A Friend's Garden

We have been having really COLD and wet days for the last several days.  As I walked into the kitchen this morning to start the day,  this was the view from the window.  I just had to go get the camera to try to capture some of this beautiful morning with the sunshine streaming in the windows.  What a nice change from the last couple of days.

You can see the fruit there on the kitchen table.

I was cooking greens and black-eyed-peas for the New Year when a friend of ours dropped in for a New Year's visit.  He was so thoughtful to bring this beautiful fruit right from his fruit orchid. 

He brought Satsuma Oranges and Meyer Lemons.  

The lemons were huge and so were the oranges.

Satsuma Oranges are sweet, seedless and very easy to peel.

 These sweet Satsuma Oranges are just as delicious as they look.

I was testing out the focus points on my camera.

This photo below focused on the orange.

This photo below focused on the orange peel.  

I love trying to get sharp photos and I am still trying to figure out the focus points on my camera.

Below is a photo of our friend who brought the delicious winter fruit.  He often stops by on his way down to the pond to do a little fishing,  and often leaves vegetables from his garden.  

We are proud to know this special person.   His name is James R. Ford and he has been an amazing leader in Tallahassee, Florida

James R. Ford

(photo from the Internet)

Mr. Ford is an American educator, politician, businessman and community leader.  He was elected Mayor of Tallahassee in 1976 and again in 1982.  He also served fourteen consecutive years as a Tallahassee city commissioner.  

He owned and managed six businesses.  He sat on numerous boards in Tallahassee including Chamber of Commerce, United Way, Meals on Wheels, March of Dimes, American Red Cross, Tallahassee Memorial Medical Center,  Lively Vocational School,  Peoples 1st Community Bank, etc.  He worked in the Tallahassee school system as a teacher and administrator.  James Ford and his wife Clinita have one son and two daughters.

(Photo from the Internet)

Not only does Mr. Ford have all of the accomplishments as noted above, but he is obviously a wonderful gardener as well!

On the day James stopped in for a visit and brought the fruit, we all sat around the kitchen table having the most interesting conversation.  He was born and raised in Tallahassee.  During his visits he will tell us stories about the history of earlier days in Tallahassee.  How blessed we are to know this special man,  and feel honored when he pays us a visit.

What a very nice way to begin the New Year by visiting with an inspiring and dear friend.  And, we have been enjoying the delicious fruit he brought.

It has been a very cold winter so far.  We sure do hope you have managed to keep warm and cozy,  and that you have a very nice weekend wherever you may be.