Lemon Bread!

Shortly after we bought our house, my Mother in Law and I went to the nursery to purchase a tree to go into a whiskey barrel. I had plans to place it right at the front of the house. I remember it so clearly, it was a beautiful day and we chose this lovely dwarf Meyer Lemon tree. I didn't know how it would do, living in a whiskey barrel, but it didn't cost us too much and I figured I would take a chance on it. The first winter, we had lots of nights where it got below freezing and I remember my husband and I covering it with a plastic trash bag, to save it from frost. In spite of that year and the year we had snow, our lemon tree has survived. I walked outside a few days ago and saw that the lemons are ready to pick. There have to be at least 15 of them. Pretty impressive for a 22 year old tree, that lives in a barrel. When you see the picture, please note that this is the time of the year that the tree loses it leaves a bit. In the spring, we will get new growth, new leaves and lots of citrus flowers. The smell is incredible and just a warning, the bees love the smell, as much as humans do.
I would recommend them to anyone. If you like the occasional lemon and want something that is easy to take care of, this is the tree for you....and there's a bonus. The squirrels don't eat lemons! Which is not the case with my other fruit trees.

Here is a recipe that I love to make occasionally.
It's from my friend in Phoenix.

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Lemon Bread

Cream together:
1/2 cup shortening and
1 cup sugar

add 2 eggs slightly beaten

then add
1 2/3 cups flour
1 tea baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk

Mix in 1/2 cup chopped nuts
and the grated peel of 1 lemon

pour into a 9 x 5 greased pan and bake at 350 degrees
for 1 hour

1/4 cup sugar
juice of 1 lemon
Mix together and pour over the top of the bread as soon as it is done cooking. Let cool. Then cut and enjoy.