暖冬cool夏
這裏一年四季溫暖如春，沒有酷暑沒有嚴寒......
正文
秋天了，這裏的山是荒涼的。山路因為好幾個月沒有雨水，厚厚的層土，沒走多久，就沾上了我們行人的褲腳和鞋子。秋天的山穀真是沒什麽好看的，沒有東部的秋色，有的隻是枯黃一片。我和LD走著走著就覺著boring, 覺得腳下的路好漫長。
當我們從一條新路折回時，在山頂一個平坦的休息處遇到了一支華人爬山隊伍，就前去搭訕。自己的隊伍散了, 常常三三兩兩的，好像也很難重振旗鼓, 潛意識裏總是想尋找新隊伍。這支十來個人的隊伍也來自附近一帶的，領隊的是個麵目和善的中年男。LD和他各自加了微信後(加入他們的爬山群後), 就開始聊起來了，後來一問，那人跟LD還可以算是個老鄉。聊了一會，他又把隊裏的一位校友介紹給我們，我們就和校友一路走一路聊，聊孩子，聊工作，話很投機，腳下的路再也不覺漫長，不久就到了終點。獨樂樂永遠不如眾樂樂! 準備分手時，隨意和校友聊起住處，居然還住同一個社區，靠得很近，可以算鄰居了。
這世界真是太小了！
隻是他們每周六爬山出發的時間太晚，要到八點半，要不然，今天真算是找到組織了。
今日除了這一大收獲之一，還有一大收獲，就是再次見到這滿山遍野的仙人掌梨果。
話說這仙人掌，渾身上下都是寶。仙人掌本身可以做藥。家中院子就種有一棵，身上偶爾發個膿皰之類的，剪下一點點，搗爛，效果極佳。仙人掌還可以吃。同事曾經告訴我，店裏有處理好的仙人掌賣。仙人掌花是墨西哥國花，花的美麗嬌豔讓它登上寶座，網上說花朵還可以作色拉吃。仙人掌果子可以生吃，可以榨汁，也可以當藥。其果子高纖維，富含維生素C， 維生素D，抗氧成分，可降血糖，消炎，輔助治療關節炎、痛風，有抗癌等功效。
其實自己也是最近才發現這個果子。說起這個仙人掌果子，也是起源於八月底的一個周六，在爬山途中，見到半顆被什麽動物吃過的梨果遺落在路邊。那玫瑰色般紫紅紫紅的果肉讓我想起火龍果(紅肉品種的), 也就在那時，我的好奇心被激發了起來。
沒過幾天，就在常去的超市裏看到有賣，發現有紅皮和綠皮兩種(見照片。綠色的更甜，水分更多)，而且處理過的，不需要擔心那些細小的刺。嚐過後才知道，這其貌不揚的果子還真是味美價廉 (這裏的商店的價格是5個99美分)。第一次吃這果子給我帶來的驚喜不亞於第一次見到盛開的美麗嬌嫩的仙人掌花。驚訝的是，這生長在極其幹旱地帶的植物，它結出來的果子居然如此香甜多汁。雖然我知道店裏賣的是農場種植的，但是植物品種是一樣的。(下圖中大的果子是店裏買的，小的是野生采的)
為了了解野生梨果的味道，幾個星期前的一個周六，我還特意帶了夾子，偷偷擰下幾顆毛絨絨的梨果，回家十分小心翼翼地切開品嚐。結果發現野果子味道雖然更濃鬱，更純正，但酸些，且裏麵像石頭一樣的籽更多(上圖中大的是商店買的，小的是野生的)，絕對不建議摘(那個刺很厲害的，摘了後果自負的)。野外的果子還是留給動物們吃吧，它們一定比我們人類更需要它們。
今日再見這簇擁而生的梨果，我又掏出手機照了幾張照片，特貼於此留作紀念。大自然真是神奇的，它總是盡其所能，奉獻它的珍奇和瑰麗。
When we talk about flowers, cacti normally don’t immediately spring to our mind, even though the flowers turn out to be stunningly beautiful. So are the cactus fruits. It is hard to associate juicy and sweet fruits with the prickly and uninviting plants grown in the drought area. That may be the reason that I never try the cactus fruits in my life till lately，even though the prickly pears can be sold as cheaply as 5 pieces for $0.99, even though I know that they have a wealth of nutrients, very high vitamin C, calcium, fiber, antioxidant, etc.
A couple of weeks ago, while hiking on a dirt road on the barren hill, I saw a cactus pear bitten by an animal and left unfinished under the cactus bushes. The sight of the red meat, which looks much like the color of red dragon fruit, stirred up my interest.
Then a few days later，I found myself tasting the store -purchased prickly pear for the first time. I was thrilled at discovering two different types of fruits, one with red meat and the other green, within two weeks. The juicy and tender meat is a striking contrast to the prickly and spiky outlook. They taste just as delicious as any other fruits, likening much to the pear.
My curiosity towards the newly discovered fruit culminated when one Saturday I took a tong with me and snapped a few prickly pears off the cactus pads in the wilderness. Compared with farmed fruits sold in the store, the fruits off the wilderness tastes stronger, more indigenous but a bit sour. They are full of gravel -like seeds that I need to spit out constantly. Would not recommend at all. Let's leave the nature's produce for the animals to enjoy.
Yes. It's all your fault--I finally realized that ;-) Just kidding.
That lone fruit is sitting on the counter waiting to be properly eaten ;-)
I have to learn it the hard way, today. :-))
不過吃這果子吐籽比較麻煩。
我覺得好像是第一次見到這個仙人掌梨果。也許以前沒注意。一定到店裏尋摸一下，買回來嚐嚐鮮。
The scene where a hyena falls into prickly bushes must be from an animation movie (?), which you might watch together with your son, and make both of you laugh:))
Thank you for stopping by, my friend. Have a nice new week!
I used to think of the scene where a hyena falls into prickly bushes every time I saw a bunch of cactus plants ;-)
My parents used to relieve the pain with cactus juice when I got stung by a bee.