Chapter 28
I frowned a bit remembering some things, even though I had my confinement, I still had about a year for my body to fully heal and be cleaned even if it was a natural birth it was still my first, it will take less than a year and by then I will be running around trying to survive and have a growing child in tow.
We in the caribbean love ground provision becaus it its filling and packed with a lot of nutrients, for a growing boy no less it is xtremely necessary exspecially in the apocalypse.
Like in most cases, sweet potato must be planted. The benefits are great – vitamins, fiber, everything. And it only takes 3-4 months to harvest a good yield. I need to find some old tires or large containers. Storing some soil in them, it would be good to grow them as well; the leaves are also useful, good for soups and stews. Pumpkin as well, since it’s one of my favourite foods and easy to grow, will also be planted. The big ones from seed should take about four months, maybe five depending on the rainfall. Then cassava, eddoes and yam because as someone from Barbados I love ground provision. Lots of corn for corn meal because cou-cou is a must and some cookies.
If there is one thing against all odds I must have it!
Ahhhh and great cake with rum, ugh it is best to have someone acquire some bottles of rum for me.
Unfortunately as a nursing mother somethings will not be allowed but they can be stored for once I was free again.
A week later, the armored SUV, followed by a convoy of supply trucks, finally turned off the main highway and onto a winding country road. It was undeveloped which was allowed by the Mi family some things do not need to be fully developed and should remain as is.
The surrounding trees and mountainous forest in the far distance gave a beautiful back drop.
Just as I had written and mostly remmebered, China held a captivating beauty, in fact every country held such beauty, it is just boils down to personal preferance. The air was cleaner here, noticeably fresher, and the sky above was a brilliant, almost impossibly blue, a stark and welcome contrast to the perpetually polluted skies of the city. Even though it had tall buildings and was home to the elite, it held so prefernce to me unlike this sight and the long to rush from the car and run into the mountainous forest like a savage.
Of course, that was a feeling which was ruthlessly suppressed.
As we drove up the long, winding driveway to the old house, I felt a strange sensation, as though I was being transported back in time, stepping into a scene from a historical drama.
Such a beautiful sight was something I had only see in fantasy movies and some art I had done for my novels in the past.
It seems that nothing really did not change since more than two thousand years ago. The ancient stone walls and towering trees seemed to whisper stories of generations past, their gnarled branches reaching out like welcoming arms.
As the car wound its way further into the estate, the orchard came into view. Workers were busily tending to the trees, their figures moving between the rows, and a few animals grazed peacefully in between the trees. “The ancient methods are still used to manage the orchard, the livestock can graze to help manage the vegetation and some fallen fruits if not collected on time by some of the workers, manure is used as fertilizer.” I continued to look as the voice of miss Su spoke in my ears, her main job before was a doctor but with her being by my side now, she had resigned tasked with things far from her original job. I had to show my appreciation for her sacrifice. “It is a good method, the pruning also seems to be done well with the shape very attractive, with slightly dense leaves among the oranges and plums.” I said in a low tone. My golden eyes scanned the surroundings in an almost detached lazy way.
This week was long my body tired.
“Yes miss Mi, the careful pruning allows the growth to be carefully controlled, some like those over in the west are tied to both save space and control sun exposure,”
My eyes narrowed sparring miss Si a glance before asking just to confirm some things. “It is as expected, and the grafting of some?”
I decided to look at her as she replied, now wearing a cream suit making her already white skin even whiter, her hair done in a low ponytail exposed her delicate features and the tear drop earrings in her ears.
compared to my highwaisted wide legged trousers, long sleeve waist design button down shirt and long wide sleeved coat I seemed like a domineering version.
It cant be helped, I have to breast feed and I preferrred comfort, though I am still slim, I still have some extra fat around my waist making me a thirty inch waist instead of the previous twenty-six. Lucky I was compensated with extra inches on my hips bringing them to an enviable forty-six. As a woman of color who wouldnt be happy!
Though now I am a blasian compared to most of the asian women around me it is too much of a stark difference with almond toned skin, thick curly hair done in mid length braids.
“Yes miss Mi, as for the grafting, some trees bar sweet, sour or a mixed of fruits, we tend to separate and mark them to the taste of those who wish to buy in bulk.” I focused on miss Si upon hearing this.
I love sour fruits!
“Then have some sour fruits picked, the apples would be more appreciated, those large one to the far north look yellow and beautiful,”
“Of course miss Mi,”
“The pest control, how many trees have been infested and filled with disease?” I asked miss Si softly, I like this subordinate, she has done well in gathering the information about the property of the old house in the countryside. “Miss Mi some of the modern methods were used since it saved more trees but it was limited because some were a bit harsh,”
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