First Apricots of the Season

I picked the first apricots of the season yesterday.  They are sweet and juicy and as good as I remember from last year.  These are Blenheim apricots--the best variety there is. I don't have enough ripe apricots to make jam yet, but I think I will be busy cooking in a few days.

Here is my tree.  I put a tarp under it to catch the windfalls and keep them clean.  I mostly just gather apricots from the ground, because those are the ripest and the best.  That way I don't have to use a ladder.  Unfortunately, about half my crop is eaten by squirrels.  They leave a lot of half-eaten apricots on the ground.

Here's a picture of a squirrel enjoying my crop!