Gleaning - and gifts from friends

 There’s a law in France (I have this from an excellent source) that says once Harvest is over, gleaners are within their rights to go carefully (carefully!) picking up what was missed. There are some prohibitions, of course - the land must be unfenced, the gleaning (le glanage if you pick it up from ground level, le grapillage if you pick it from trees or bushes or vines) must be done by hand - and all this can only be done during the hours of daylight. And, of course, it's good manners to ask - if there's someone around.

Joss - she took me gleaning, yesterday

We went out for a quick little walk - 

and came home hours later, talked-out and - 

- laden.

And do you see that bottle, next to the windfall apples? That was on the bonnet of Joss's car waiting for her - a gift from a friend who makes it himself. It's the most glorious orange liqueur - I wish you could taste it.

It has the taste of friendship. Friendship and oranges.

*sigh*

Heart you, France...