Local Page Mandarin Orange Juice and Haiti

My neighbor Sandy keeps me well supplied with loads of citrus from her orchard. The recent odd four nights and days of freezing temperatures forced the growers to scramble to save what fruit was still on the trees. Which resulted in Sandy giving me quite a bit of citrus! She especially loaded me up on what she knows is my very favorite...Page Mandarins.

These little oranges are bursting with the sweetest tangiest juice and it's bright orange color reminds me of all those color enhanced glossies from garden magazines...except this is its actual color...beautiful. But with some of them softening, I decided I had better juice what I had left before they rotted. Wow...it's the best orange juice I've ever tasted. Really...I rarely buy store juice because it doesn't compare.

As I squeezed the oranges carefully trying to extract as much of the yummy juice as I could, I couldn't help but think of Haiti. Every time I take a sip of water or sit down to a meal I think of them. Besides donating....the only thing I can do at this point is pray for them....and that is what we do as a family.

My last blessing over dinner went long while we remembered those that didn't have what they needed and praying that their needs would soon be supplied. I looked up and apologized to my girls for taking so long. With big eyes they all assured me that sometimes long prayers are good even when your hungry and waiting to dig into the yummy plate of food set before you. I realized that they completely understood what a true blessing having all your needs met was. Although they waited minutes, there were others who were waiting days. I know what we can do is limited, but we must do what we can do.


Here is a pic of my seedlings. A reader informed me that I needed to move the light closer. Hey guys this is the first time I've ever grown seedlings indoors. I'll take all the advice I can get. Please let me know if I am making a mistake. Look at the difference it made. The seedlings in the back were the first ones that grew when the light was higher. The shorter seedlings in the front are the ones that sprouted after I lowered the light. They are much greener, stockier, and healthier looking! She said the light should be six to eight inches from the seedlings. Thank you!