Potential

Day 248: We've been down this path a few times before, the kiwi vine and I, and I keep hoping that This Will Be The Year that nothing interferes with production. Last year, it formed eight fruits on a plant which thickly covers two seven-foot trellis arches and three feet of fence on either side of them. Theoretically, it is a self-fertile variety, but you'd never guess it. The fruits, gods of weather permitting, should be smooth and small, end-of-thumb sized nuggets which pack all the flavour wallop of their larger fuzzy relatives. However, a shortage of pollinators, excessive heat and protracted cold have all played the role of the villain in years past. This year...this year has got to be The Year. The vine is so covered with buds that if even a tenth of them develop into berries, I should have enough to share with friends, but "if" is the operative. Our current weather pattern is cool and moist. I don't see many bugs. But I see buds, hundreds and hundreds of buds. Come on, kiwi! Do your thing!