Not all oranges are sweet

We have several lemon and orange trees on our property. This one is near the guesthouse and it is producing many fruits. The tree is so colourful. I just love it. It's so easy and tempting to reach up and pick an orange and peel it right then and there and gobble it up. Some of our Costa Rican friends do, actually.. I tried a slice of orange and my mouth instantly puckered up with that involuntary head shake one experiences at the sourness. I might as well have bitten into a lemon! They sure are beautiful to look at, and they make a lovely drink (with enough honey or sugar), but you have to have a stronger constitution than me to swallow them whole. We've asked whether we can grow 'real' oranges this far up the mountain, but most people seem to think the sweet ones we're looking for only grow in lower elevation. Such a shame.... oh well, we'll just have to make delicious marmalade.        

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