We have a beautiful little home on an acre planted with interesting vegetation. We also have a fairly unobstructed view of mountains that stretch parallel to the Pacific Ocean. I have no idea what mountains they are. I'm hoping Barbara Klaser reads this and adds a comment with that information. We live about two miles from each other and can view the same mountains. Brian and I often salute our sunsets with gratitude - always about to break into song about purple mountain majesties. Of course, that's usually after the second cocktail.

But there's trouble in paradise - just a wee bit. We haven't one teeny, tiny, measly avocado tree on our property - and we live in the Avocado Capital of the World, for heaven's sake! All the neighbors have them, but not us. I sweet talk the neighbors a lot, ply them with baked goodies, and gnash my teeth through tears while pounding my chest - anything for avocadoes.

Now, what we do have is lemons - herds of them. We've been told our property was once a lemon grove. Duh.

When we first moved here, Brian and I were duped a few times. Several trees bore large yellow fruits that looked like grapefruits. Others had plump orangey fruits that, well, looked like oranges. We quickly determined we had been delightfully tricked. In addition to ordinary grocery-store-like lemons, we have a yard full of exotics - lemons incognito.

At first the lemons were manageable, but they're not especially easy to give away, and no one wants to barter lemons for avocadoes. This year we have a bumper crop - thousands of lemons are populating our trees.

Hmmmm, I thought. What does one do when life gives you lemons? Why, of course! One makes lemonade! And that's what I've been doing. It's so Little House on the Prairie for me. I'm a very fine cook, so my hips tell me, but I've never been inclined to be the type to make homemade lemonade any more than I would make pine needle trivets from the discards in my backyard.

I'm having a blast with the lemonade. I bought an inexpensive juicer and everyday I fill sandwich baggies with one-cup portions of lemon juice to freeze and pull out later. I've purchased Crystal Light Lemonade for years, and my fresh lemonade is far superior and cheaper. It tastes so gosh darn good.

Hey, Barbara, if you're out and about, stop by for a tall glass, and tell me about those mountains.