I needed 12 cups of fruit to make this crisp. Peaches from the store and pears from Nonna's neighbor made 8 and I had 4 more to go, so I went to my backyard garden and started sawing off rhubarb.
I had more than enough to complete the crisp, and it was delicious, a definite hit at our Andrews family reunion.
I had paused, looked at tender shoots bravely pushing through the soil, leaves unfurling as if spring was still birthing. This new growth was surrounded by the blood red remains of the fruit I had cut off. Like fresh wounds these cuts still oozed their juices. Pruning brings both crimson death and life at once. The new life was already there, ready, pushing forth, before the gardener even picked up the knife.