BLUEBERRY PICKING TIME IN OREGON

This morning, I went blueberry picking with Cheryl & Mike – we had been talking about it for a few months; Cheryl called yesterday afternoon, but I was making homemade pizzas, so I couldn’t do it yesterday (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/08/homemade-traditional-pepperoni-pizza.html): but this morning was a good time.

And we had a good time ;-)

They had told me the bushes were huge … and that there were tunnels through them, BUT I WAS UNPREPARED for what I saw when we arrived – the “bushes” were giant TREES:

Poysky Farm in Clatskanie, Oregon.

WOW! These bushes are TREES! Cheryl is a fairly tall woman, and you can see how the “bushes” dwarf her …

And those trees were LOADED with berries – I have never seen anything like this!

Blueberry trees loaded with fat, juicy berries.

As we walked to the outer limits of the berry patch, where they always go to pick when they come to the Farm; the tunneling burrows were clear to see. The burrowing tunnels are actually the original pathways plotted 50 years ago, that the towering bushes arch over, and intertwine through the patch:

Dark, sun-deprived tunnels stood out among the towering berry trees. The “bushes” had outgrown the bush description decades ago.

Pathways intertwined among the overgrowth.

Mike joked that because I am so short, it would be easy for me to fit under the arching limbs to pick berries – whereas he and Cheryl are taller than I am, and would feel the squeeze of the spreading limbs while they picked: and it was true. LOL

Even so, at 5’2”, it was a stretch for me to pick overhead berries too far up (that’s how TALL these “bushes” are: they literally towered overhead) – and I was occasionally run out of the burrowing tunnels by territorial wasps: so, I left that area, and moved on down the line. Being stung would lead to certain death, so I didn’t fight them for the berries – there were PLENTY more elsewhere …

To me, the berry clusters resemble grape clusters, in their fullness of berries.

Most of the berries were HUGE. And tasty, too.

I had my container filled quickly – I gathered 9 pounds of berries; so I helped them fill their containers, too:

Cheryl & Mike picking along the outer edge of the berry patch.

When we got back to our own State, and they dropped me off at home, I drove to Industrial Way to have my car washed at the curbside car wash I noticed going on at Les Schwab’s Tire Center, when we passed it ….

My car was SO filthy with road grime & gravel road dust, that it was ridiculous: now it shines ;-)

Then, I came back home; washed my berries and divided them among 3 large Gallon sized freezer baggies before popping them in the freezer. Those little tidbits of Summer goodness, are gonna be mighty welcome – and tasty – in muffins and cobblers this Winter ;-)

And I am thankful for good and faithful friends; I am blessed to have Cheryl & Mike in my life. Cheryl was my SIL for 12 years before Bob’s brother Ralph went off the rails; and she divorced him – later, marrying Mike. We always loved Cheryl, and felt she got a raw deal from {the family} who rallied around Ralph, who should have been kicked to the curb for what he did to her. Bob came to like Mike; and we often spent time together: we had actually been to their home to visit with them, just weeks before Bob went into ER in August 2018. When Mike & Cheryl found out about that, they immediately came alongside us during those difficult and hard months … and they never left me alone since … even though I had requested to be left alone following his physical death - it was unbearable for me to be around living people - listening to their prattle; and having to host them in some regard: but, they knew I would eventually need them.

And I did.

And to be honest; Bob's sister, Bonnie, immediately stepped in to help me pull Bob's funeral arrangements together. And his sister, Merry - and his brother Kerry, DID help me in those first months of severe grieving. BUT, I always felt like they were awkward around me. And they NEVER, at any time in 44 years, initiated reaching out: if I didn't contact them ... I did not hear from them. Even now. They never call to see how I am doing, or ask if I need help with anything. They never unconditionally loved me before Bob left for heaven - and they don't unconditionally love me now.

Bob's family never thought of me: they don't think of me now. After August, I will be persona non grata, as far as they are concerned.

Cheryl called every day - and most of those calls was her just letting me know she was there for me: even if all I did during those calls, was cry. Endlessly.

Mike helped in doing ... and helping me to understand ... what needed to be done when "man stuff" {need to know} went right over my head.

I was pretty needy for months.

And they stuck.

And they still call - and INCLUDE ME IN THEIR LIFE.

They are STILL sticking.

Elohim IS good :-D

Not only did he give me friends – He gave me BEST FRIENDS. I am blessed beyond measure.

I pray I am worthy of such friendship; and that I can be/am such a friend to them.