All the things we think, and all the things, we remember and forget. The sum of our thoughts, memories, miseries, misgivings, mischiefs, all type of moments, make up our lives.
This morning I woke up with the realization it was September already, that was my first thought, and September is a special month. It’s the month of the winter equinox. “Welcome September” were my first words, albeit in my mind, even before I opened my eyes. Then, I made a resolve. Let’s see, if by the 30th of the month, that resolve has held.
For the last couple of weeks or so, the days seem to have a different complexion, and a very different feel in the air. The reluctant nip in the air has arrived here, in the UK. In Florida, we are still in Hurricane season, officially till November 1st. Hurricanes have been known to arrive even later. If like in past years, when we have not had a hurricane, it lulls us into a false belief, that the hurricanes will stay away, and sometimes, they do, but other times, we have been quite rudely surprised.
However, we’re not going to speak to soon. To be back in the present moment, space, and place, the one big change that I will feel, is to do with the blackberries.
One of the joys of the English summer is the wild fruits, especially berries, growing, or rather overgrown at every turn. Along most walking paths, the blackberry bushes flank both sides of the track. I’ve seen a few creep up trees and grow really tall. These are established bushes, or blackberry brambles as they’re also known. It’s a given that I would stop every few steps and pluck the biggest and juiciest, and one big blow on them, and into my mouth they went. July and much of August was especially fruitful, pun intended.
My favorite walking path was along the canal, five doors down from our doorstep. The canal boats are tethered on both sides of the canal, and their names are always a source of delight. The last really funny one, was KNOT NOW, painted on to show it written in a sailors rope, replete with twists and a knot in its name. Because they are peoples homes, I refrain from taking photos.
While there are other bushes, and plants, mostly natives, including several herbs that I recognized, it was the blackberries that edged their way front, forward and center, so to literally speak. They are everywhere, even on the ground, growing along the floor’s edge where it met the fence, in our parking area. Big fat ones, but I just did not want them from so close to the ground.
What the blackberry connection to September? Well, since autumn is being ushered in this month, according to an Englishman houseguest, who accompanied us on one of our walks, it is an unwritten English rule, that after the end of August, starting the 1st of September, no berries be plucked, so that they are saved for the birds in the area, and also for birds who who migrate here in the winter. So in honor of the tradition, and of course, in reverence to the birds, my foraging of blackberries has come to a stop.
Meanwhile, across the fence in the parking area, an apple tree has been peeking over the fence, branching out with its fruits still clinging on to it. They were really tiny ones in July, and then in August, I noticed that they suddenly seemed to have grown! They’re bigger now, almost to full maturity, and have been losing their green. Since it was on our side on the fence, I have actually helped myself to a couple. The crunch is just so massively satisfying. One apple fell to the ground, as I was retrieving it. It dropped in between an overgrowth of dried bushes and when I went to retrieve it, I realized it was filled with the thorny blackberry brambles, mostly dried twigs and thorn. They are very vicious, the blackberry thorns. As long as you stick to plucking berries, it’s all good, but the thorns, are rigid, strong, and very sharp. Very unforgiving if disturbed. So I just let the apple be. Hopefully some animal can get to it.
The apples are growing bigger and redder. The cycles of nature, in perfect orchestration. Bye, bye blackberries, hello apples. Nature, always on the job, on top of things. Everything perfectly planned.
What can I say after that?
Veenu Banga
1st September 2022.
11:52 pm.
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