The Persimmon Tree

a couple laying on the terrace's chairs smiling at each other

The Persimmon Tree

You might have expected a blog entry from me Wednesday since that is when one of us every week posts about whatever adventures are happening at Reverie.

I actually did write it but then my computer crashed and all was lost.

So I’ve decided to go with something different from what I had written, which was all about the King fire going from under 20,000 acres to over 70,000 and now around 100,000. And about the stress of living so close to it with the imminent threat of evacuation at a moment’s notice and the 24/7 smoke etc…

But no, I’m not going to bore you with more fire news except for that today it finally seems more under control and wishing for more rain to help those who have risked their lives to fight this insane fire. So I do want to thank everyone who has aided in the fighting of this fire… all of you rock !!

 

Instead, I’m going to give you a book suggestion.

 

With fall starting the changes are already visible at Reverie, trees are not filled with fruit anymore and our vegetable garden is changing as things stop growing or producing (except for the crazy amount of tomatoes). There is, however, one tree that still has to get its fruit to the prime stage…it’s our persimmon tree.

Our persimmon tree is beautiful, old and in the middle of a group of plums, apples and the mulberry tree… It obviously looks around at them with a pinch of superiority. It seems to be saying, “I’m making everyone wait for me because I’m worth the wait.”

The fruit from the tree is super yummy and indeed worth the wait. But wait, what does this have to do with a book?!

Well the book I would like to recommend is: The Persimmon Tree Written by Bryce Courtenay

 

 

The Persimmon Tree opens in Indonesia in 1942 on the cusp of Japanese invasion and the evacuation of Batavia (Jakarta) by the Dutch. Seventeen-year-old Nicholas Duncan is on holiday there, in pursuit of an exotic butterfly known as the Magpie Crow. It’s an uncertain, dangerous time to be in Indonesia, and Nick’s options of getting out are fast dwindling. Amidst the fear and chaos he falls in love with Anna, the beautiful daughter of a Dutch acquaintance, and she nicknames him ‘Mr Butterfly’.

To assist in the escape, Anna’s father gifts Nick his prized yacht, Vlermuis, to sail to Australia. Singapore has just fallen, the Japanese have made it to Sumatra, and the waters are dangerous. Vlermuis is not long out of Batavia when Nick is forced ashore for repairs. He witnesses the bloody execution of shipwrecked Allied soldiers by natives, and while burying what’s left of the bodies, Nick notices one wounded soldier has escaped death, and he carries him back to his yacht.

The rescued soldier is a lower-class Irish Catholic American called Kevin Judge. He has no sailing experience, but he assists Nick in navigating through some dramatic storms and the two form an unlikely and lifelong friendship.

 

I hope you like it.

 

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Ramon

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