The hermaphroditic tree

I think I have confused plants in my garden. My lemon tree is meant to be providing gleaming, golden fruits. What’s hanging there are green globes with little pointy lime bottoms adorning my tree like earrings.

I believe my tree is suffering a hermaphroditic citrus condition. I wonder if I call an arborist would they choke laughing at me?

Anyway, last week I went to an information night to investigate joining the volunteer ranks of telephone counselling. I admit I was surprised by the level of interest. I was expecting a handful of people and there were nearly 35 in the room.

So we were group discussing case studies and one caught me off-guard. It was a transgender study. No one was expected to psychoanalyse or provide clinical treatment, but listen, empathise and consider options and referrals.

I took myself on a little journey (surprising, I know) and got caught up on the minor emotion the case study was feeling instead of the major.

On reflection, I don’t know enough about transgender issues. I perhaps need to do some research and speak to some people I know. I’m curious by nature, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find people who want to educate me or tell me their story.

How does all this relate to my citrus dilemma? Well, as much as I want her to be a lemon, she’s actually growing into a lime.

And as much as I have set expectations about how she should grow and marinate my chicken, I will need to adjust my feelings and consider her flavouring my gin and tonics instead. I feel like Cher for some reason now.

Whether I’m chosen or not, the information night was another successful reminder that as much as we know, we still need to learn.