First of the oranges this year

On our walk between our local villages today temptation won.... and I had the first orange of the year - straight from the tree.

It's an experience that stays with you - yes really! Every November the local Valencia orange crop ripens enough to eat them straight from the tree, the warmth of the sun at this time of year finalises the process, up until now the fruit has been green and hard and certainly bitter.

But today, well the strong scent of orange is released into the air as soon as the fruit is picked and this scent multiplies as soon as the peel is broken - you have to be there to understand.

Mid walk, in mid twenty degrees of heat, with wall to wall blue skies and a glaring sun - it is November after all! There is NOTHING as refreshing as one of these oranges, beautifully sweet and as juicy as a drink.....

The rest of the walk was great too!