Monday, July 28, 2008

Monday, 28 July 2008 - One blackberry bush

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for one blackberry bush.

I was wrong. The "wild" berry plant growing in the backyard is actually a blackberry bush (I had originally guessed raspberry).

After photographing the ripening fruit, I eat the dark berry in the middle of the cluster. Oh my - it's so sweet and juicy!

I last ate wild blackberries in August 2001 during a trip to England and France with my sister and her family. While hiking through England's Lake District, we spied overgrown, berry-laden bushes lining the trail.

My brother-in-law observed that the ripest berries, when gently tugged, easily detached from the stem. We figured that that's how bears and other animals found ripe fruit.

So, after refining our picking technique, we enjoyed an unexpected sweet feast before resuming our trek.

Lucky me. I now have a private blackberry bush. And, just like I do for all of my edible plants, I'm praying for a bountiful harvest.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.

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