Monkey Puzzle Tree Birthday Surprises Part 3 Of 3

Pressie 2

So, to recap my birthday, I now have some actual Monkey Puzzle tree seeds and have been to a pub called The Monkey Puzzle that has a real Monkey Puzzle tree in its beer garden. This had left me in possibly the best mood ever, I really believed nothing else could improve what had turned out to be a brilliant 49th birthday.  But oh how wrong was I......

After getting back to Nathalie's from the pub I was told that I wasn't under any circumstances to look in her bedroom. It didn't occur to me what possible reason she was saying this, except maybe she had another man stashed in there but I was happy to oblige. Once we had settled I was told that in the bedroom was my last birthday surprise and I could now go and get it, I immediately scurried off to find out what was awaiting me. Never thinking for a minute what I was likely to find I threw open the door to discover, sitting on Nat's bed, the most adorable little Monkey Puzzle Tree! 

I still don't know how I didn't explode in a mix of happiness and excitement as I was totally blown away with my little tree. I immediately began to barrage Nat with questions, where did she get it? How she had hid it from me? How old was it? Though I never bothered to ask why she bought me it as that kind of went with out saying. The answers I got were, she got it online, a friend had tree-sat for her till my birthday and it was 4 years old. Naturally, I was immediately besotted with my new tree and spent the rest of the night gazing at it lovingly.

So for the first time since I was young I had my very own Monkey Puzzle tree the big question now is, where am I going to plant it? You see as I live in a 2nd floor flat and I have no access to a garden where I can plant it, I am now having to think about where I can find a permanent home for my little tree. Until then I have a plan of where it can live and will post an update once it's at its new home.

Monkey Puzzle Trees Seen - 10       Monkey Puzzle Trees Yet To See - 4

Monkey Puzzle Tree Birthday Surprises Part 2 Of 3

Surprise 1

So after unwrapping my presents me and Nathalie set off for my surprise birthday dinner. I say surprise as in the venue was a surprise, rather than it being a surprise that we were going out to eat. We boarded a 27 bus in Camden and headed south then west until we arrived at a stop close to Paddington station. Still unclear about our final destination as we walked along the road I suddenly realised that in the distance, looming up towards me, was a Monkey Puzzle tree! I have to say that my excitement of seeing another Monkey Puzzle tree was reaching ridiculous levels when I clocked that the tree was standing in the front of a beer garden of a pub called The Monkey Puzzle! The tree was a very fine specimen and seemed to be thriving in its unusual surroundings.

It's A Pub And It's Called The Monkey Puzzle And It Has A Monkey Puzzle Tree In Its Beer Garden!

As birthday meal venues go I couldn't have been any happier. The landlord Gary was the perfect host and the food we had was delicious and reasonable to boot. The meal was finished with a Viennetta (don't ask) and a chorus of Happy Birthday from the other diners and we left in the best of moods. I could go on and on about the place but will curb my enthusiasm for another post, as I don't expect it will be too long before I go back, that post will be dedicated to the Monkey Puzzle pub and I'll make sure that when I next visit it will be with a decent camera.

Monkey Puzzle Pub Sign & Monkey Puzzle Tree (W5)

The journey home was uneventful, though poor Nathalie had to put up with a very happy Monkey Puzzle tree nut all the way. However, if I thought that was the end of my surprises I wasn't aware of what was in store for me when we got back to Nat's.

(to be continued...)

Monkey Puzzle Trees Seen - 9        Monkey Puzzle Trees Yet To See - 4

Monkey Puzzle Tree Birthday Surprises Part 1 Of 3

Last week I celebrated my 49th birthday, which if you ask me only has the fact that it is 7 squared going for it, it's now got to that stage where I'd rather get to 50 and be done with it. However, despite my lack of enthusiasm for my new age what I hadn't anticipated was that this year my birthday would include 2 presents and a surprise I was so not expecting all thanks to my wonderful girlfriend Nathalie. The reason they were so special was of course because they were all Monkey Puzzle tree related!

Pressie 1

Before my actual birthday Nathalie was rather excited about an auction she was interested in on eBay, when I enquired as to what was going on I was told to mind my own business as it would ruin a surprise if I found out. I immediately suspected that this must mean it was birthday related but couldn't for the life of me think of what it was likely to be. Well I found out what it was all about on the opening of one of my presents on my birthday, a small unassuming present was unceremoniously ripped open to reveal........Monkey Puzzle tree seeds!

My Very Own Ngülliw

I was, it is fair to say, absolutely blown away. Lately I've been reading all I can about Monkey Puzzle trees and have been fascinated by the fact that an ancient people in Chile, the Pehuenche, lived for thousands of years amongst the forests of Monkey Puzzle trees, which they called Pehuén. The seeds from the tree (ngülliw in Mapudungun) were central to their diet, which they supplemented with meat and fish. (I'll be posting more about all this soon).

So now I have some Monkey Puzzle seeds of my own to experiment with in the kitchen! Which, as you can guess, has put a huge grin on my face and even though I can't count these in either of my categories I really don't care!

(to be continued...)

Monkey Puzzle Trees Seen - 8        Monkey Puzzle Trees Yet To See - 4

So Happy To Find This!

Whilst tidying up some stuff in my garage I came across an old photo album that to my delight contained a photo of my Monkey Puzzle tree (original post here).

My Monkey Puzzle Tree At Aldbury Road In 1983

Monkey Puzzle Trees Seen - 8        Monkey Puzzle Trees Yet To See - 4