When long summer days hang musty in the golden air, when the afternoon's warmth lingers into the night, when the spiders have all spun their crystalline webs, it is blackberry picking time. There is no season I look forward to each year as much as blackberry season, no food I am so greedy with while harvesting (one for the bucket, two for me) as blackberries. And last night, it was finally time.
In the lilting evening breeze, BC and I harvested our first cache of the year, flirting with nature, garden spiders and gopher snakes along the bus stop for the Number 19 (something I love about this city: Our most urban practices weave through wild and overgrown stretches, making you forget, for just one moment, that you are still city-bound). 
A Story-Title for "Mokelumne" 2005
Blackberries fall like thorned curtains, staining fingers.
Beaver tails slap
cows bray
oars gently splash
All sounds competing for my unconscious notice.
One silver tree, caught by the sun’s falling rays
Stands like a blessing for all the wonder there is yet to see on the river.
Monday, August 4, 2008
The First Harvest
Posted by UmberDove at 8/04/2008
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8 comments:
Oh man, and the blackberry cobbler that followed! What a great first harvest it was too. The blackberries on my cereal this morning were delicious as well.
I am happy you were able to enjoy that yesteray - and I am happy to be able to say that you will be offering me some cobbler this week?
What is Mokelumne? Did you write the poem?
Yes, and yes.
Come over for cobbler, there is a nice big slice with your name on it.
The Mokelumne is a river that runs through Lodi (my home town). I have spent countless hours chilling riverside, kayaking early morning and late evening, trail running, and getting married (ok, that was only a couple hours one time but it was pure magic). In 2005 I created a painting titled "Mokelumne" which was in my show, "A Personal Odyssey" and wrote story-titles for every painting.
You can send some of that Blackberry Cobbler love my way, too!
Too late Suzy :( I love me some cobbler!
Umbers: You're from Lodi?????? Like "stuck in Lodi"....California???
Did you ever see a guy stuck in Lodi with a broken motorcycle? Because if the answer is yes, it was probably RW.
Yummy berries by the way.
Yep, the one and only (good ol' CCR).
Hmm, about the motorcycle, last time I was there (my parents still live there) I did have a guy ask me to pose on his motorcycle but I'm pretty certain it was NOT RW (good thing). I hope he was able to see the grand sights during his stay (things like the Grape Festival Grounds, the Original A&W, Honey Treat Yogurt, that's pretty much all there is to see).
"When long summer days hang musty in the golden air, when the afternoon's warmth lingers into the night, when the spiders have all spun their crystalline webs, it is blackberry picking time"... Closing my eyes, feeling summery, entirely. Picking berries is one of life's most sacred acts. And well, lets not even start on the eating. Thank you for such a delicious post... how I long for summmmmmer
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