Been thinking about how lucky we were Growing up among Apricots Cherries Prunes Almonds And walnuts Often hear us Californians Referred to as fruits and nuts And with good reason Without any Ifs Ands Or buts Proud to have been raised Where orchards were our playgrounds Where many of us worked No child labor laws back then Just fun for us Camaraderie And a little spending money A snack on the way home Walking through the cherry orchard Shelling almonds and walnuts with Mom And the unforgettable sweetness Of that overripe apricot That never made it to the pie Thanks Dad and Mom (R.I.P.) For settling in the Bay Area Where we grew up Among our fellow fruits and nuts And where I could not live now As much as I would love to Because no matter how fruitful My current jobs might be And despite how strong the lure I’ll never harvest enough to move back To where those memorable orchards were . . .
Ah, "the land of the fruits and nuts": California in the 1950s. A wonderfilled state.
It truly was "The Valley of the Heart's Delight," and comparative to other places, it still is. I'm so grateful to have been able to live there for most of my adult life. And oh, to have been there in the day.......