Olives in the garden

Olives in the garden
Originally uploaded by ajft.

For the first two years that we lived here the olive tree ignored us, I think it overheard the conversation where we discussing whether to chop it down and decided that it had better grow some fruit.

There are only a few of them, and I've got no idea how to prepare them or even to recognise when they're ripe! Might have to ask the old Greek lady over the back fence for some olive assistance.