About 9 years ago we had a tornado go right over our house. Sadly, it pulled up a huge, old, black walnut tree and laid it across our neighbor’s house. Fortunately, no one was hurt, though I did hide in a closet with our four children during the entire storm. About a year later a red mulberry tree began to grow where the black walnut tree had been. This year it is loaded with sweet mulberries! It has produced for several years now, but I think this is the best year so far.
I went out this morning to gather a small bowl of mulberries for my breakfast. I like that the mulberries ripen in successive batches, so I’m not overwhelmed with a treeful of fruit all at one time. It gives me time to decide what to do with it all. The birds are definitely enjoying the ripening mulberries as much as I am!
The mulberries range in color as they ripen from white to red to almost black. They have a sweet flavor when ripe which is hard to describe to you if you’ve never had one; it’s a little bit like a blackberry, perhaps, but not nearly exactly like one. As with any other fruit, mulberries have their own distinctive flavor.
I noticed as I was picking that the fruits that are ripe will just “let go” at the slightest touch. In fact, I kept my large enamelware bowl close to where I was picking to catch any falling strays.
The ripe mulberries made me think of what I’ve been reading about in the Gospel According to Mark when Jesus began to call his disciples. It says of Simon and Andrew, “straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.” It says of James and John that they “left their father” and “went after him.” It says that Levi ”arose and followed.” It made me happy as I picked, to think that the Lord knows exactly the moment we are ready to “let go” to do what he asks and also that he is able to make us ready to do what he asks.
Happy Monday!
Lynn
for you to leave a comment, but you can also e-mail me at lynn AT thehealthyhomeschool.com
This inspired Lorena and I to look up mulberries on the internet. They should grow well where we come from, but neither of us have ever had them. They look really good!
Dear Lynn,
What a blessing to have a self-sown mulberry! We planted one in our last place, but it wasn’t big enough to fruit yet before we moved.
Maybe sometime we’ll stay in one place long enough to actually EAT the fruit that we plant (I think we’ve moved as many times as years we’ve been married.)! We have to think of ourselves as Johnny Appleseed.
I’m glad that no one was hurt during the tornado; that would be frightening, to say the least.
Love,
Marqueta
Ken, some people don’t like mulberry trees because the fruits fall and get tracked in the house and make a mess! Some don’t like the taste, but I think just as many love them. When I was working at Duke a few years back, I took some mulberries in and one of the doctors took them home and baked them into a cake. It was yummy!
Thanks, Marqueta. It’s the closest I’ve ever been to a tornado. It was close enough and I don’t need to do it again. It was scary.
From now on I’ll think of you as Marqueta Appleseed.
Lynn
Beautiful analogy friend! (((Lynn))) I love that God sowed this tree just for you. Enjoy!
The place where you live is really wonderful! What a privilige! I wish you and your lovely family many beautiful days.
Leslie, thank you so much.
Rute, thank you for your kind words. My yard is actually very small. I try to get the most from it that I can.
Lynn