Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Drive A 100 Miles For....

Wednesday evening hubby suddenly asks "Do you want to go to Seguin this weekend?"
I look at him and say...well yeah!
Hubby...don't call your mom just yet, cause I don't know whether or not I will have to work Saturday.
Me...oh so this suggestion is just a tease! (I left him giggling to himself, yeah he made himself laugh, very amusing indeed! Please note the sarcasm)
From the kitchen I tell him he is mean. This leads to a full blown hysterical fit, followed by a "stop it, stop it, your killing me!".
I swear the boy don't play fair, how can ya even try to get and stay mad at a guy that cracks himself up so hard that you find yourself being sucked into the laughing? Ya can't, I can't.

What would you drive 100 miles for? Well apparently my hubby will drive that distance for...apples! (future teasing already running through my head) Hubby kept saying Beau d'arc apples. For the life of me I have never heard of such a thing and was super curious. I could have easily looked it up, but was afraid if I did, that would cancel the possibility of a road trip. Come to find out his mission was to collect the apples, get seeds and plant them. Now it was my turn to laugh and laugh my fool head off!

He had delivered a load way out there in the boonies, were the deer roam, the cows lay in the shade of the trees, the dust from the unpaved roads will make you choke and the stench of the oil refineries will make you gag. On this particular stretch of back road, he ran over a "Beau d'arc apple" and briefly looked up and saw them hanging in the tree. He wanted sooo badly to get out right then and grab one, but he had trucks behind him waiting to get a move on to the next load. "Loads are money moron, get out of the way or we will push your ass up this road!" (Yeah that's trucker talk for ya) So he kept going, but his longing did too.

As most of you know hubby can spot the strangest things on the roads that most folk wouldn't see. Well since spotting that apple tree, he has been looking at the trees instead of the road. Watch out people the boy is NOT paying attention!! His running buddies were mystified that he didn't see that bucket, bolt or pliers sitting on the side of the road. Yes this is getting serious, a road trip is a must for his sanity and the safety of all drivers!

After much teasing from the men and hubby asking (bugging) everyone he came across if they have a "Beau d'arc tree on their properties (no one knew what he was talking about). He decided to take Saturday off, specifically for this road trip.

After doing a oil change, we were off.

I saw soo many photo opportunities but only made mental notes of where they were so that maybe hubby will stop on the way back. When he is focused on a destination, there is no deterring from it, it's like tunnel vision! I kept seeing this flower along the sides of the interstate and was wondering what it was. Finally I mentioned to hubby that I wanted to stop on the way back to get a photo and what did he do, he pulled over right there. I was soo surprised and grateful.

After a little more distance, he slowed to a crawl with his eyes focused on the trees. I spotted one off in a fenced in field, he debated going in there. I had to quickly remind him that he could easily get shot! We trekked on. He finally decided he had gone too far and turned around. We rounded a curve at a snails pace and I was like "wait go back just a little" There is was, I found it!

The elusive Beau d'arc tree. Not much about this tree is very telling or standoutish. Except for this:

Big, green, brain looking "apples"! Funniest looking apple I ever saw. Just to be clear these are not real apples! I mean there is nothing about this fruit that resembles any kind of apple. Hubby found one already busted open and the insides are like a stringy white pulp with seeds simular to a orange, it smells simular to a honey dew melon mixed with a hint of orange and VERY sticky (like a sap sticky).

He was now happy as a lark and stopped everywhere I asked him to. We spent about an hour with my mom and continued on heading for home, but stopping occasionally for photos.

After getting home and looking those supposed apples up on the internet, it was reveal that they are most commonly known as horse apples and the tree itself is called an "Osage orange tree", hmmm...maybe that's why it smells like a orange!! Sadly it is not ediable for humans.

Ya think he is still going to try to grow some? You betcha! That is just how he rolls! Why even try when they aren't edible? Who knows????? LOL!! Who is going to end up trying to grow these things? Me!

Sigature,Heather

11 comments:

SuziCate said... [Reply to comment]

Fascinating! I have never seen nor heard of one! It is so cool. I can see why your hubby was so interested in scoring one of those!

Eric said... [Reply to comment]

My granddad had a pecan tree, that was the best investment I've ever seen, you know, like tree wise.

ps - I would drive 100s of miles for marble.

kathryn said... [Reply to comment]

Oh, your hubby is too funny! But he is the BEST! What a strange looking fruit that is! It looks like green brain to me.
We've got more apples than we know what to do with up here...'tis the season!

Meghann said... [Reply to comment]

I have to ask him Thursday why he wanted to see them? Maybe they brought back memories, surely he saw them before living in tx all his life? I had one almost fall on my head Sunday at a picnic, they are heavy, would not have been cool!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

I searched that tree out too, such an odd name. I found it also called the 'tennis ball tree', its main value seems to be the fun of watching people get hit from dropping fruit..LOL!

I have driven many miles, ‘just because’-just because it was a nice day for a drive.

I loved this post, I felt like I was there with you. Wonderful photos!
Sorry, I haven’t been around lately, I am trying to do a lot more writing; I can’t sit for long -bad back- I will be back- I love your Blog.
Gerardine

Carol said... [Reply to comment]

The fruit may not be edible, but if this tree goes, it will make a terrific topic for conversation. And it netted you a nice drive on a lovely day with your Hub, some great photos, and a visit with your mom. What more could one want?

Lifeofkaylen said... [Reply to comment]

How funny!
I have never heard of or seen this brain-apple-orange thing. Crazy!!!

Laufa said... [Reply to comment]

Those horse apples are great for deterring mosquitoes. If you are having a picnic, cut it open and use it as a centerpiece.

Joanie said... [Reply to comment]

Why did he want one of these so badly if you can't them?

Jen said... [Reply to comment]

It doesn't take much convincing to get me to drive 100 miles. I love road trips. Good luck growing the tree!

Rose said... [Reply to comment]

he must love those apples. now does he love oranges and where would he travel? Florida. rose