Going up the road to school on Tuesday morning, I saw my neighbour had put out a tub of windfalls
and a sign
so I took three from the top and drove off to work. Returning at lunchtime, I noticed hardly any had gone. I stopped the car and walked across – just as a mum and toddler in buggy arrived. “Do you think it would be OK to take some for a pie?” she said nervously. I assured her that my neighbour had put them outside for that very purpose. She took half a dozen and I took a couple more.
After the Ladies Meeting in the afternoon, I popped round with a jar of my recently-made chutney - “I made this from the last lot of windfalls I was given” I said “So here’s a jar for you to enjoy – thanks for your generosity!”
She said that their apple trees had fruited incredibly well this year, and she was having real trouble giving the fruit away – and couldn’t bear to see it go to waste. She encouraged me to take more – and said her husband would be refilling the tub every morning for the next week or so!
“The problem is, they are not perfect – they’re different shapes and sizes, some have bruises, others have bits that need cutting out, and people won’t take them because they need a bit of work before they can be used – or they don’t know how to cook them”
Conclusions
- Isn’t it sad that people are nervous about accepting a gift from a stranger?
- Isn’t it sad that fruit like this so often goes to waste?
- Isn’t it sad that in this affluent village, accepting ‘free fruit’ is beneath the dignity of some residents?
- Isn’t it wonderful that God loves us and accepts us and is prepared to work on us a bit, so we can be used in His Service – and He loves us whatever shape we are, whatever imperfections we have!
After declaring this week a ‘cake-free-zone’ I may find myself cooking up Elisabeth’s apple cake soon
How kind of her. Apples are allowed to stay where they fall here, no one is much interested in picking them up, sadly.
ReplyDeleteHow I wish I lived in your village :)
ReplyDeleteI paid £1 for 4 large Bramleys last week - I haven't made an apple pie in years and years and fancy having a go. Now these Bramleys look so odd - they are glossy, polished and picture perfect - to be honest each time I open the fridge it occurs to me that they just look too perfect! Give me those windfalls any day - mine must have have half of the chemical industry on them :(
Lynn
How wonderful, we live on a new build estate and planted an apple tree when we moved in, I hope in years to come I can pop out a tub like that. I love my neigourhood and they are great. Sorry for being a bad commenter, far too many things have been going on at home
ReplyDeleteOh do make the apple cake. Cake-free zones very suspicious!
ReplyDeleteYup, bruised apples, speckled bananas, bashed strawberries... as metaphors for people whom God loves and employs in Kingdom work... just what we said on Sunday in our H.F. service.
ReplyDeleteI used to get bags of onions in Leicestershire... here in the city I get rhubarb in season!!!
Angela, it is odd that 'Random Acts of Kindness' should be viewed with suspicion.
ReplyDeleteI was in a store on Saturday and had a 40% off coupon to use,however, the item was alredy 40% off so I was not allowed to use my coupon. I turned to the person behind me and asked could she use my coupon instead. She looked a bit taken aback, eyed me and the coupon suspiciously and then accepted..she seemed a bit shocked. Is kindness so out of style?
Jane x
And those wonderful imperfect apples, make incredible juice - an apple press and a little cooking time, and the flavor can be enjoyed for months! That's what we used to do, glorying in the bounty when our trees gave us so much more than we could - bake, sauce, dry.....
ReplyDelete