Perseverance Pays Off!

After I had written my last post, I had a personal experience with chillies and perseverance. Every Chinese New Year, we visit my aunt who lives down south. Her garden abounds with great bounties of vegetables - chillies, eggplants (brinjals), choy sum and siew pak choy. My aunt, bless her heart, always tells us to pluck the vegetables and bring them home, which we happily oblige.





We came back with so much chillies this year, we pickled the green chillies and blended the red chillies with garlic. Last year, we made fried green chili sauce. Nothing beats the taste of freshly grown, home-made chilli sauces and pickles.

Anyway, I remember moaning and telling my aunt how I attempted to grow the chili plant from the chilli seeds we got from her trees last year. I sighed. My chilli plant had lots of leaves, some occassional buds, but not a green chili in sight. Still, I continued to fertilise and water the plant with waning hopes that it may produce fruit one day. Imagine my surprise when I spotted a large green chili hanging on the branch when I watered the plant last Sunday. When I looked closer, I saw another one just behind it. I was thrilled... After about one year, my perseverance paid off. Looks like I'll be having some home-grown, freshly cut green chilli to accompany my dinner tonight! Can't wait to taste the fruits of my labour.