Windfalls

In this delightfully eccentric collection the narrator offers a third basket of “windfalls” harvested from a modest orchard, using the simple act of gathering fruit as a springboard for broader musings on nature, memory, and the fleeting sweetness of everyday life. The opening pages weave a gentle tribute to bees—though never directly addressed—while the author’s voice flits between affection and wry humor, inviting readers to linger over the ordinary. The tone feels like a quiet stroll through a sun‑dappled garden, where each observation is a tiny, ripe morsel.

Soon the scene shifts to a bustling garden where Jemima, a flamboyant Indian runner duck, becomes entranced by a simple garden fork, mistaking it for a source of endless worms. The narrator’s lively commentary follows the duck’s comical antics and the chatter of his feathered family, turning a mundane digging task into a miniature drama of curiosity and rivalry. With its witty asides and affectionate portrait of rural life, the piece promises more of the same charming, observational humor.