Paula and Her Plums

My First Bucket Of Plums

I talk of the wonders of my friend Paula far too much...but I can't help myself...she's an amazing 55-plus woman.  Paula holds a very demanding job with Chico State University...she's worked for them for at least 36 years!  Paula has her entire family (children, grandchildren, brothers and their children, her mom and husband's family) over for dinner at least once a week. Paula sews, knits and crochets items for at least 2 juried Arts and Crafts shows in California.  Paula is a wonderful cook and canner. Paula's home is the "go to" place.  She has a large backyard garden at her suburban home in Chico...and another garden and fruit orchard at her mom and dad's place along the Sacramento River about 30 miles from her home.  She keeps her bees at the ranch.  Paula goes to the ranch every Friday.  This Friday I met up with her to harvest some nice juicy plums. 

I met Paula when I was thirteen...at 4-H camp.  She was the smart girl with the thick glasses and sun-burned bottom lip...me?...well I was the ADHD Life's A Party Girl...too much singing, dancing and laughing...she and I hit it off right off...ying and yang.  The day I came home from camp my parents announced we were moving and I'd be going to a new school: BIG SHOCK...Paula's school!  AND to top it off my best friend Nancy (she already knew Paula...their grandparents were next door neighbors) was moving, too...same town, same school!  Paula's best friend was Janie and the two of them hung around with Paula's cousin Dee Dee and another girl, Debbie.  When I got to the school I noticed there was a gal in our class that several of the boys picked on (Charlene with the beautiful voice) and I added her to our "new" circle.  Our Sophomore year we added another new girl: Barbara...her mom and Nancy's were friends.  So...that's our group...we lost Janie in the 90's..too sad to even think about...such a fun, loving sweet girl. 

Geez...back to Paula and the plums, fruit orchard and her lovely bees!

I took lots of photos and I'm going to share:

A Very Small Corner of The Garden

Paula's Other BFF

She Has A Number of Pear Trees: Yummy!

Many Apples

Nice Crisp Asian Pears

Juicy Peaches

Persimmons

Eureka Lemons

And The Best Darn Plums In The State!  She Even Helps
Pick Them For Me!

Paula On Her Mo-Mo Dressed In Her Bee Suit

I'm Following Paula in the Car and We're Heading Out
To The Fruit Orchard, Garden, Apiary...The Walnuts
Belong to Her Mom and Dad (Her Dad Passed Earlier
This Year...Wonderful Guy...Really Missed)

Paula Playing Around With Her Smoker!

Paula Pulled 4 Frames to Harvest Some Honey.  I Sat
On A Lawn Chair Watching And Talking...It Was Nice
Taking It All In From The Sidelines...We Both Have
Different Styles and I Learned A Couple Things From
Her On This Visit 

Just a side note: The pictures are out of order...Blogger decided to do it's own thing...sorry!  We did the bees first!