The Orange Grove

It continues to surprise me that an orange grove still stands in Silicon Valley. In San Jose, across from the Sony building, near the Altera office, on Zanker Road, is a plot of orange trees, all bearing fruit. I learned from a friend today that there is a single family that owns the land and grows the oranges. They also have a field of hay, for baling, I suppose. They may be growing oranges, but they are sitting on gold, and that apparently does not matter to them. And that is fine by me. Sometimes, late in the evening, after work I drive by with the windows rolled down. The fragance is indescribable, but I'll go with transcendant. I grew up where apple groves were not far away and they have their own special joys. But there is something magical about the oranges, radiant suns hidden among the dark green leaves.