Yesterday afternoon the four of us drove to Sawyer Park, where blackberries grow under the footbridge. In the Willamette Valley this species of blackberry (I think it's the same species) is a thorny scourge, overgrowing highway medians and crowding other plants from streams; people are just as likely to poison the bushes as they are to eat its berries. Here in Bend, though, the blackberry is uncommon. I have only seen it growing in one place besides Sawyer Park. And the berries are so small, y'all would laugh.
I love to gather berries. I had wanted to drive to Salem to pick blueberries, but I was sick throughout July; I wanted to pick strawberries in Prineville but again -- too sick. Dammit, I said, I don't care how tiny those blackberries are. They're in season, they're nearby, they're mine.
The blackberry vines at Sawyer Park grow under the footbridge bridge supports, tangled with willows and spiderwebs, thick and humid. To reach the best berries I had to stand in the thicket, moving carefully so as not to get scratched or hook my clothing. It was hot, uncomfortable work picking those berries, but I couldn't stop -- you know how it is? I'd think I had all the good ones, then I'd see another cluster and pick those, then see another... It's zen-like, berry-picking is. Or obsession.
Remind me I want to write next about squaw currant -- ribes cereum -- which is extremely common here and has a red berry that ripens in July. Sasha loves 'em.
I love to gather berries. I had wanted to drive to Salem to pick blueberries, but I was sick throughout July; I wanted to pick strawberries in Prineville but again -- too sick. Dammit, I said, I don't care how tiny those blackberries are. They're in season, they're nearby, they're mine.
The blackberry vines at Sawyer Park grow under the footbridge bridge supports, tangled with willows and spiderwebs, thick and humid. To reach the best berries I had to stand in the thicket, moving carefully so as not to get scratched or hook my clothing. It was hot, uncomfortable work picking those berries, but I couldn't stop -- you know how it is? I'd think I had all the good ones, then I'd see another cluster and pick those, then see another... It's zen-like, berry-picking is. Or obsession.
Remind me I want to write next about squaw currant -- ribes cereum -- which is extremely common here and has a red berry that ripens in July. Sasha loves 'em.
3 comments:
It most certainly is obsession. Although I must admit, I had a harder time getting zen about it this summer with Mme L running around near the road where the saskatoons grow.
Oh, no kidding, Sage! While I picked blackberries, my husband was watching the kids. Since I can't find berries and keep my kids from drowning in the river at the same time.
Now I am off to google 'saskatoons.'
Well for goodness sake. We have saskatoons here but we call them serviceberries. They grow all over Black Butte, which is the butte that my son climbed awhile back -- we picked a few there. But they're so tiny! Do you really eat 'em?
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