Happy Place, Happy Space

Spotted this banana plant on one of my easy runs this week, as I cut through the One Tree Hill residential neighbourhood.

The huge banana flower & comb of fruit caught my eye and I had to squat under the leaves to get a better look at them. This led me to think of the very droll expression, low-hanging fruit.
The expression low-hanging fruit is used to describe an action that takes almost no effort. The idea comes from the very literal task of picking fruit off a tree … (that) does not require the harvester to climb the tree or to use a ladder, he simply reaches up and plucks the fruit with little physical effort.
Grammarist
Which then made me to think of my pulled calf muscle last week (huge segue here); it happened mid-week on our trail run. Curiously, although the pain was in the region of my calf, it seems my difficulty originated from a tightness of the litobial band (which is located on the side of one’s thigh).
The low-hanging fruit in this part of the story was to regain normal walking gait. Loving Husband had to release scar tissue from the affected areas several times a day (read: extremely painful deep tissue massage), and I worked on bearing weight & walking slowly, maintaining as normal a posture as I could. From there, it has been a slow, cautious return to running.
After about a week of recovery, I had a minor setback when the calf muscle spasmed again, and we had to begin the process all over. I did manage to get a slow run in this evening. Low-hanging fruit, baby steps.
π π π

Since I am thinking of banana plants, banana flowers and banana combs: we had great fun as we baked King Arthur Flour’s Wholegrain Banana Bread twice this week. This recipe is a great way to use up lots of bananas: 2 cups or about 5 medium bananas for each batch.
We baked some in loaves, some as muffins; all gifted away, in case you are wondering.
π π π
Is there a turn of phrase (like “low-hanging fruit”) which you find whimsical? Did you bake or cook something this week to use up a leftover in your fridge/freezer/pantry?
π π π
Reading your Joyful Posts brings me to my happy place. I hope having them in one place makes it easier for you to find when you need a bit of happy therapy, too.
If you would like to join in, ping back to this post and I will include you next week.
- Amanda at Something to Ponder About‘s Finding a Kinder Inner Voice: advocates our kinder inner voices as a way to counteracting negativity
- Carol Ann Siciliano‘s Delights: brings curiosities this week – the “pipes, braces, coils and innards of a new church organ, helpful signs, sticky pine cones, a gorgeous hand-made teapot, a miniature oil painting
- Debβs Worldβs Destination Wedding: takes us back in time to a wedding in Fiji as the lovely Mom Of the Bride
- Laurie at Notes from the Hinterland‘s Mushroom Collages: gets artsy with mushrooms
- Lavinia at Salmon Brook Farms‘s Autumn 2021: updates us on the goings-on at the farm, and sings us 2 beautiful songs
- Little Pieces of Me‘s Grateful Fridays: shares her fun week
- Nancy Loderick‘s Road tripping in Vermont- Sir Oliver, Sir Angus & Toby: brings an illustrious crew along for the ride
- Natalie the Explorerβs My Best Trip to Niagara Falls: brings us stunning views from her visit; and a delicious lunch
- Reflections of an Untidy Mind‘s On Creating a Myth: poses a weighty issue together with a haunting rendition of Gilgamesh Lament for Enkidu, sung by Canadian singer Peter Pringle
- Thistles and KiwisβThis Weekβs Small Pleasures: delights in culinary endeavours as well as the signs of spring
- Trent’s World‘s The Weekly Smile: makes the most of the weather to enjoy nature
π π π
This post is my contribution to Weekend Coffee Share hosted by Natalie The Explorer.
Those massages were lifesavers. I am all better now as a result!
Breadsticks dipped in pasta sauce sounds inspired – what a delicious idea!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Why thank you! And I’m glad you’re better!!
LikeLike
Dear Ju-Lyn — I love how you linked low-hanging fruit (great pics!) with the slow steps of recovery. Sometimes, I lack patience, but I rarely lack a spirit of opportunism: in healing, I appreciate your point that we take each “easy” (ouch: deep tissue massage) step as a harvest and then we work our way up the tree. Rooting for you!
LikeLike
I am warmed by your caring words of encouragement – particularly at this point of rehabilitation when I am mostly better and it’s tempting to push a little more each day. Prudence is not my strong suit so I have to remind myself to do this slowly slowly.
LikeLike
I am sorry about your calf injury — better soon. Glad to know you are still doing a run (albeit slow) but it’s movement! Those are VERY green bananas. Are like like potatoes and not as sweet as the yellow bananas?
LikeLike
Thanks for the well-wishes Julie!
Those bananas are not ripe yet – I imagine if allowed to ripen, will turn into the familiar yellow we know.
LikeLike
Hope your calf heals soon and you’re back to your normal runs!
LikeLike
Thank you thank you!
LikeLike
Hope your calf heals soon! I know from experience how hard it is to get around with a sore leg. Loved seeing pictures of those bananas. With everyone watching carbs and calories, not baking much these days.
LikeLike
That’s the challenge with baking – what to do with the baked good! We’ve managed to find a pool of folks we are able to share with so we can keep baking; it is Younger Child & my entertainment these days.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope you’re feeling better and are able to resume running. Very nice photos of the banana plants. I have some frozen blueberry that I’ll use for a baking recipe. Thank you for linking up with #weekendcoffeeeshare.
LikeLike
A bit of a snag with the injury, I’m afraid. Off to see the Physio next week to hopefully sort it out.
We rescued some blueberries today so we also have some blueberry bakes forthcoming!
LikeLike
Sorry to hear about your calf muscle injury and playing up again, Ju-Lyn. Good to hear you are taking it slow and you can run again. I remember seeing low-hanging banana trees when I lived in Malaysia. Your banana photo also reminded me of the tiny bananas I used to buy in Singapore, which I can’t get here in Australia. I have quite a lot of flour in my pantry and made a prawn pizza π
LikeLike
We love the tiny varieties of banana we can get in South East Asia!
Do you cook your prawn before putting it on your pizza?
LikeLike
Every time I see a bunch of big bananas here in Australia, I long for the tiny bananas in South East Asia π I normally put my prawn raw or frozen on top of my pizza and find it cooks all through π
LikeLike
Thanks for the tip, Mabel – I will try it as Younger Child loves seafood but I have been tentative about putting it on our pizzas.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That calf muscle injury sounds very unpleasant, Ju-Lyn. Baby steps and small jogs and you will soon be back to normal.
LikeLike
Thanks Tracy. I have made an appointment with my Physio next week since it is a persisting injury. Baby steps baby step!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope your calf gets better Ju-Lyn.
Nice pic of the banana tree.
LikeLike
All better already (keeping fingers crossed!) – thank you so much!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love your segues in this post, Ju-Lyn. Sending warm vibes that your pulled muscle heals soon and you are free to return to your normal running!
LikeLike
Thanks so much for the good thoughts & positive energy, Donna! I had a couple of fairly pain-free runs already so I am very grateful!
LikeLike
I see a lot of fruit trees (apple is very popular around here), but not banana, so the photo of the “low hanging fruit” is cool. Hope you are on the road to recovery and can get back into your running.
LikeLike
We are the opposite – no apples, pears, or stone fruit trees about!
I am all better, thank you Trent – just being a little cautious so that there is no 2nd recurrence!
LikeLike
Forget to say that I really hope your calf improves. I know how much you enjoy running so it must be a frustrating injury for you.
LikeLike
Thank you for thinking of me and sympathising – I am very touched. It hasn’t been bad as I’ve been able to slowly get back to it – haven’t had to stay away for long at all.
LikeLike
Thanks for the shout out, Ju-Lyn. I baked a batch of Honey and Oat Cookies and Raspberry and white chocolate muffins. I usually use frozen raspberries but using fresh raspberries gave such a punch in flavour! I am going to make that wonderful Lemon and Blueberry bread this week. I love that the berries are in season!
LikeLike
Baker Younger Child & I were just saying it’s been a while since we baked oatmeal cookies … so I am enviously thinking of your honey & oat cookies.
The combination of fresh raspberries with white chocolate sounds absolutely delectable – we typically don’t bake with raspberries because they are so expensive, fresh or frozen! So I am wistfully thinking of your muffins …
And well, Lemon & Blueberry bread: that I can do. I think we will make us some too! Thank you for the inspiration!!!!
LikeLike
When it comes to homebaking, these ingredients are all desirable. Raspberries aren’t cheap here either but they are worth it.
LikeLike
I hear you – we don’t need them in huge quantities anyways, so I guess it’s alright.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for the link back, Ju-Lyn!
I am sorry to hear about your calf injury. I know how bad those can hurt. Feel better soon!
LikeLike
On the steady mend, Lavinia – thank you for the well wishes!
You are always welcome in this space!
LikeLike