As we’ve probably mentioned we’ve got plenty of fruit here which is why we don’t really mind the goings on with the local inhabitants from the village sneaking around and taking some of the fruit while they think we’re not looking.
It’s quite bizarre really as you can watch someone taking the long route to our fruit trees over the hills and through the long grass.
‘Here we go again’. Word spreads around the house quickly and we go into our standard routine. Silence descends which is about the only time it ever does.
We tend to watch them from behind the net curtains and just at the opportune moment open a window. It’s funny to see what they do. Some ‘hit the deck’ in the long grass like they’re on some sort of military operation only to get up moments later holding something aloft as if to say ‘found it’ while making out their putting something back in their eye. All I can say is that long grass and finding contact lenses doesn’t mix so if they thing we’re buying that they’re sadly mistaken but it’s all part of the fun.
The other thing we do is wait until they are just about to pick the fruit and then open the window. It’s amazing see them feel the leaves of the trees and nodding their heads as they make their way up the path into the forest. After that you end up closing the window and watch them as they sneak back through the trees surveying the house until they think it’s safe. Patience is a virtue and it certainly makes the kids happy during the long summers here when they’re bored.
Eventually we let them take what they want before going outside and casually enquiring ‘what’s in the bag’. It’s surprising how many of the characters seem to forget, year on year, who owns the trees and all the fruit they bear.
We get them coming up during other seasons as well for different things but that’s another story.