The Margarita Tree

We bought a Margarita Tree.

Alternatively, we bought a Gin and Tonic Tree. I guess it just depends on the season and what other drinks are available. But I’m really excited to have a tree. She’s a lime tree, and I can’t wait to see her.

Okinawa has its own unique species of lime. Sometimes called the Taiwan tangerine, flat lemon, or the hirami lemon (thanks Wikipedia!), it looks like a lime, but it tastes like a lemon. I’m sure its juice is wonderful, but no good for mixed drinks. 

No, we were going to get a good old fashion lime tree. And when one is in Japan, where does one go to get a citrus tree? Make-Man!

Let me take a moment to explain Make-Man. It is your Japanese go-to store of all your making needs. Leora and I did some recon and tried to take in the entire store. The best way to describe it is Japan’s version of Home Depot, but it’s so much more. There’s lumber and power tools, blow torches and build-it-yourself bookshelves. But on the other side of the building is pet goods and appliances, 100 yen store, portable burners, towels and actual pets. Pretty much, Make-Man is everything you could ever need and more.

The smell of lumber and orchids greets you at the door. Sure it’s nice for the first minute, but it only gets stronger. As it attacks your olfactory senses, you ears are assaulted with cartoony Japanese music. Not the classical music, but the stuff that plays in the background of anime and helps lead to seizures in lab rats. Think about that, but with the chorus of the song put on repeat.

I make fun of it, but Make-Man is awesome. And they will help you make anything, including a porch garden. And they so want to be helpful. The employees went out of their way to try to help us. But, there is one problem. Not a lot of English speakers.

Fortunately for us, there was an employee who spoke English. Unfortunately, not in the garden department, and he knew nothing about gardens. So they found somebody in gardens who could understand what we were looking for – a translator for our translator, if you will. Most people would say it reminded them of being at the UN. Leora and me? It reminded us of an episode in the first season of West Wing. But that’s a different story for a different time.

 

We left the store with Japanese basil, thyme, rosemary, and dill. Pots and soil, an orange tree... and a lime tree. I hope we don't kill it.

Private note for Matan Skolnik:

If took you awhile to find me because I was hiding in the lime tree, it meant you weren’t looking that hard. It’s a pretty small tree.