Ken Goes FRUITY!

Just as you may have suspected . . .

Ken . . .
has gone . . .
FRUITY!
Not just bananas.

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Yes, in an effort to eat healthier and obtain more fiber in my diet, I have consciously chosen fruit more often since I retired. I find that if I have fruit after my main courses, I rarely need seconds to satisfy my appetite. I bragged about this to my doctor, who shot me down with, "That's great for your health, but don't expect to lose any weight with all that sugar." Oh well, at least I have an excuse for not losing weight.

Anyway, with Judy's encouragement, plus her wide variety of preparation modes, I have LOVED my fruity summer. We brainstormed a list, and here are the fruits I had this summer:

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PEACHES * PEARS * BLUEBERRIES * BLACKBERRIES * WATERMELON * PERSIMMONS * STRAWBERRIES * CANTELOUPE * BANANAS * APPLES * FIGS * GRAPES (muscadines, scuppernongs, and white grapes) * PINEAPPLE * HONEYDEW MELON * GRAPEFRUIT * CHERRIES * CRANBERRIES.

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Wow, I'm full. Most of these I ate fresh. I had multiple varieties of peaches and apples. I've had some of these in muffins, cobblers, cakes, salads. Some I've had dried, or as a filling. I missed my chance to add plums and apricots to this list. Within a short walk of our back door we picked pears by the bushel, grapes by the bag, blackberries by the pail, persimmons, and blueberries. We've fought tangled underbrush, especially smilax and blackberry thorns, and have the scars to prove it. In fact, my arms and legs have been scratched up all summer long. Judy also took advantage of farmer's markets locally and as far as South Carolina and Virginia. Our quest for the best fruit also gave us many pleasant hours outdoors. So the mental health component should not be overlooked.

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I acknowledge that I was FRUITY long before this. Suffice it to say I'm shoring up my credentials and cushioning my resume.