Acerola Tree

We have a nice little patio area behind our apartment.  It was pretty much the reason we decided to move to this specific apartment.  This was a picture taken before we moved in, and it really doesn't do it justice, but it gives you an idea. 

Today, it is raining like crazy, so it is Lake Kelzenberg.  Seriously.  We have 4 inches of standing water.  There is a drain, but I have to get up the nerve to go out and clean it out.   That tree that you see in the picture, is an Acerola Tree.  Our empregada Irene told me a few months ago, and I was really excited.  I have a lot of saudades for my little garden that I had in the US, and I miss being able to eat oranges, lettuce, spinach, carrots, tomatoes, eggplant, chard, snap peas, and even the occasional pomegranate and fig from my neighbor's back yard. 

I would try to open the window to take a picture of the fruit on our tree, but I'm not interested in getting soaked.  Did I mention that it's raining?  One of my co-workers at school lost her car on Monday night because the street where she had parked it turned into a raging river, and the car washed away.  Crazy.  But back to the Acerola.  Here's a picture I found from this website:

It's also called a Barbados Cherry, and kind of looks like a type of cherry.  They are VERY sour, and really only used for their juice.  They have LOTS of vitamin C, and lots of anti-oxidants.   Very good for you.  Right now the fruit on our tree/shrub is just starting to turn red.  Unfortunately, we won't have the opportunity to make fresh acerola juice, because we are leaving for the US in 2 days, and we will be there for 7 weeks!  But I'm sure we can make up for it by drinking lots of cranberry juice, eating grapefruit, enjoying eggnog, and having a marvelous time with our family.  I have a few posts that I've started that I'll probably finish while I'm there, but you won't be hearing much from me for a few months.  Merry Christmas!