Custard Apples in Mr. Chen’s Garden/Rec Area

A unique fruit found in Taiwan and other Asian locations is the Custard Apple 釋家 shìjiā (also known as Buddha Fruit). Interestingly, the two Chinese characters above have the meaning “release home” which is another name for “Buddhist” (It’s also the name of one of my birds featured previously in this blog, named not after the religion but after the fruit!).

My neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Chen began planting Custard Apple trees over 2 1/2 years ago. Here is a sapling:

A larger sapling:

 

One of the smaller trees bearing its first fruit:

And some bigger ones- still much smaller than the hand-sized (and larger) fruit you buy at the market:

Congrats to Mr. Chen for his perseverance in planting! He will make sure the delicate tree branches are bound together properly to stand firm against the typhoon winds and heavy rain which are expected this weekend.

 

As long as we’re visiting with Mr. Chen, let’s take a look at the beautiful little recreation area/garden he’s been working on across the street from our homes ever since they widened the road 3 years ago…

 

Much prettier than the rubbish heap which other less “public-spirited” (公德心) neighbors have distastefully been creating directly across the street from my house! (pic definitely not shown!)

 

Mr. Chen has been investing 2 or 3 hours a day for the past several years on his little project. There are baby chickens in the chicken house.

While he’s still flattening the field to increase the size of the playing area, at least now Mr. Chen and his grandkids can begin to enjoy a little croquet (chuí qiú 槌球)!

The Chens have planted banana trees xiāng jiāo 香蕉 (above) as well as papaya (mù guā 木瓜).

I have no idea how to say the above! Can somebody help me out here?