An Oregon Garden Of Eden…With Bees Galore

After a precious breakfast visit with our niece Denise and her wonderful family, Denise asked if we would like to take a short ride out into the countryside to see Scott’s parent’s farm and garden. Since we were happy to spend more time with our family we said yes to another road trip.

We asked Carmen and Ben if they would like us to put the top down on the convertible and ride to the farm with us. And they were quick to pile into the back seat for a windblown ride through the beautiful back roads of the Willamette Valley.

It was a picture perfect day for a “ragtop” ride!

The short road trip ended with a brief ride down a gravel road before we reached our destination. The weather vane on top of the garage set the tone for our visit, and I soon understood what that symbol meant.

Honey bees have played a huge part in Scott’s parent’s lives. In fact, even though they have sold their bee company, they still raise queen bees…and those little white boxes were scattered throughout the acreage. 

My senses were overwhelmed with the varieties of trees, shrubs, and vegetables that surrounded us! It was harvest season when we visited, and the bounty of nature on that farm was incredible.

Fruit trees were everywhere…and they were LOADED.

And there were plenty of sweet treats for those happy bees!

As we walked around the house, we were soon greeted by Scott’s parents and his brother.

And I was amazed to see bees everywhere! They were peacefully coexisting with humans, and those bees were drinking water!

Scott’s mom (aptly named ROSE!) told me those bees need LOTS of water to survive, so they have bird baths scattered all around the property to provide the necessary hydration.

We strolled over to Rose’s garden, and it was filled with berries and vegetables of all kinds. From red raspberries…

To blackberries…

Denise and I couldn’t resist…

Those blackberries were so plump and sweet and just waiting to be picked! And Scott’s mom was happy to share her love of the land and her garden with all of us.

Rose showed me a huge row of asparagus fronds in her garden…

And those delicious stalks of asparagus that had gone to seed and were hiding below…

I saw squash…ready and waiting…

And onions…

And then…more fruit trees filled with ripe fruit hanging so thick it was hard to see the branches of the trees! First, a fruit I had never tasted before…Asian Pears. My new favorite fruit in the whole wide world! No matter how careful I was, I couldn’t take a bite without juice streaming down my chin and onto my shirt!

And ripening figs…

And pears…

Whole clusters of pears!

And then…Scott’s dad said those words I was SO hoping to hear…

“Would you like to take some fruit with you?”

YES…PLEASE! AND THANK YOU!!!

It has been almost half a century since I was treated to just-picked fruit like this.

And after a wonderful visit with this amazing couple…these stewards of the earth, it was time to leave. We were SO glad we were able to see the beauty and taste the bounty on that Oregon farm. And to reconnect with nature in a way I had almost forgotten was possible.

So after hugs all around, and a special hug for niece Denise…Peepaw and I headed back to town…where I washed my face and changed my sticky shirt.

I can still taste that fruit…and that visit with family was just as sweet.