I love traditions. 

One year ago, I was a newbie in the world of mango crops.  Those of you who have been following my wanderings, meanderings, and natterings long enough will remember THIS  I dreamed of feasting on that beautiful mango, imagined the juices running down my arm to drip off my elbow, and fantasized about the sweet taste.  Each day, I would go out to the garden to take a look at that mango, hoping against hope that it would not meet the same fate of so many other mangoes that were laying half-eaten under the trees.  One devastating morning, I discovered that my mango was missing and so many others were missing as well.  That night, I heard the mocking voices of the chattering bats, describing the delicacy that had been my mango.  Dirty thieves! 

This year, it’s my voice that is chattering mockeries as I hear the distant voices of the bats, hoping against hope to find sweet treasures in another garden.  The family of a friend of mine owns a large mango orchard.  She advised me to hang empty tin cans on the mango trees in order to scare away the bats at night.  The theory is that as the bats land in the tree, the tin cans will knock against each other slightly, scaring the bats away.  Taking her wisdom to action, my husband constructed a few cascading tin can monstrosities that are beyond ugly, but highly functional.  I have seen a total of two bitten mangoes laying under the trees, and have had the joy of picking “just perfect” mangoes from the tree with my very own hands. 

This year, I am a seasoned mango grower.  Without the use of any spray-on chemicals, I have managed to defeat the feasting pests of my crop.  Nestled safely in my freezer are 4 large freezer bags full of organic, mango pieces, initially individually frozen to prevent a massive, frozen clump.  These don’t even take into account the many mangoes I use each day in my fruit smoothie breakfast, and there are still more mangoes waiting for me, Charlie and Lola to hunt down each afternoon.    

Mango Watch 2009 is turning into Mango Win 2009, with many more years to come!