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<\/a><\/p>\nThe next year the pear trees blossomed, but the crop was stunted and meager.\u00a0 The few pears dropped to the ground, covered in spots and eaten by worms.\u00a0 I considered spraying for pests but the trees were so close to the ditch that I worried about pesticides getting into the run-off water.\u00a0 I thought about pruning<\/a>, but my inexperienced cuts seems like the fastest way to kill trees that were beginning to make headway.\u00a0 So I went with more patience and hope.<\/p>\n By the following year, the trees had figured out that reaching for the limited sun was the way to success.\u00a0 One of the trees grew branches that were very tall and long—-getting above the shade imposed by nearby pines and limiting the damage of the foraging deer.\u00a0 But a freakish February snow killed the buds on the trees.\u00a0 The smaller pear tree faltered.\u00a0 But the bigger pear tree sprouted lush vibrant leaves that summer and appeared to put all the excess energy not used on growing fruit into gaining more height.<\/p>\n And despite another February snow in 2015, the bigger pear tree blossomed.\u00a0 It set fruit.\u00a0 It set a lot of fruit.\u00a0 So much fruit that by summer the tall long branches bent precariously toward the ground and strayed into the adjacent roadway.<\/p>\n I considered staking the heavy branches to T-posts.\u00a0 I thought about supporting them with ties to the main trunk.\u00a0 But I imagined the branches cracking off in my hands as I straightened them, the pears lost and the tree damaged.\u00a0 Then I realized patience and hope had carried that pear tree a long, long way.\u00a0 Who was I to intervene now?\u00a0 So I waited and watched.\u00a0 I expected the pests to arrive.\u00a0 I assumed the deer would decimate the low-hanging fruit.\u00a0 I worried the branches would snap.\u00a0 Because my version of hope is always tempered with frightening bursts of realism.<\/p>\n But the branches held.\u00a0 The fruit ripened unmolested.\u00a0 The pear tree’s hope was pure and relentless.<\/p>\n On occasion, I tested the pears for ripeness but they stayed firm and green.\u00a0 A hint of blush finally developed on some of the skins but the flesh refused to yield—-I had no idea if the pears would continue to mellow or if they were getting overripe and ready to spoil .\u00a0 The neighbors began to notice the fruit.\u00a0 People called and asked if those were my pears hanging in the road and, by the way, were they ripe yet?\u00a0 Little went back to school in July and the bus driver repeatedly mentioned how much she loved pears.\u00a0 I began to check the fruit daily.\u00a0 Because I wanted to beat the desperate hordes to the bounty.\u00a0 And because the pears were so perfect.\u00a0 So beautiful.\u00a0 So amazing.<\/p>\n When I couldn’t resist any longer, I plucked a pear and bit into it.\u00a0 The skin was still fibrous and the flesh was crisp, but the taste, oh, the taste!\u00a0 After a few bites I still couldn’t tell if the pear was so luscious that the juices exploded in my mouth when I bit down or if the flavor was so delectable that my taste buds instantly salivated in response.\u00a0 I peeled a few for the kids to have alongside their Parmesan Zucchini and Spaghetti Squash with Pine Nuts (plus Bacon) at dinner and their reactions were mixed.\u00a0 Two loved them and two complained that they were too crunchy.\u00a0 I figured they were accustomed to mushy varieties like Bartlett from the grocery store, but what were the crisp pear-apples our tree was producing?\u00a0 And were they really ripe or not?????<\/p>\n When an afternoon thunderstorm tumbled a bunch of fruit to the ground, I seized the opportunity and placed a handful of firm pears in a brown paper bag—-my usual trick for ripening rock-hard Bartletts from the grocery store if I needed to use them soon.\u00a0 Five days later my pears were still solid and green.\u00a0 And a quick internet search for pears<\/a> that stay green and firm even when ripe revealed that my pears were probably Anjous and they had plenty of uses including salads, sides, and desserts.\u00a0 So, of course, I started with the desserts.\u00a0 Because life is too short to start with the salads.\u00a0 I mean, what if you started using the pears for salad and ran out of pears before you got to the desserts???\u00a0 (Shudder.)<\/p>\n I tried this pear pie recipe<\/a>, mainly because it claimed to have the “easiest” homemade pie crust.\u00a0 The crust was<\/em> easy and the pie was delicious.<\/p>\n Next up will be the pear pie bars<\/a> and caramelized pears<\/a> (over ice cream, maybe?).\u00a0 The kids and I are taking a salad of greens, spinach, cranberries, pecans, red onion, and pears topped with vinaigrette to work and school for lunch.\u00a0 And this week’s tortilla wraps will be Crunchy Pear and Celery Salad<\/a>.\u00a0 If I still have enough pears, I’ll just slice them thin and dry them in the dehydrator for pear chips.<\/p>\n Turns out that patience and hope tastes scrumptious.\u00a0 Who knew?<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n