Blackberries

This is a common Blackberry. It is found everywhere here in the Northwest. It grows on the side of the road, in the forest, along paths and trails...everywhere. It's considered a noxious weed by those who would prefer it didn't over take their yards, trees and shrubs.

"It's a berry, Rachelle! Why are you blogging about a berry?", you might ask.

True, it's a simple berry. But in its simplicity, it has brought our family joy!

For the last several summers, our family has been frequenting the "blackberry meadows", as Simon has coined a strip of blackberries a couple blocks away from our house near pastures full of cows, horses and sheep. Generally, we hop on our bikes for a neighborhood ride and eventually find ourselves swerving down the old country road, past the grazing animals, towards the sun setting behind an old oak tree to our blackberry meadows. Sometimes it's just for a quick snack to re-energize our weary bones for the bike ride home. Other times, such as tonight, we venture directly to the meadows with a purpose...dessert!

While finishing our dinner tonight of simple bean and rice burritos we decided it would be great if our dessert of simple vanilla ice cream could be colored by a handful of simple blackberries! Once we returned from a wonderful, midsummer night's bike ride through the neighborhood to collect our plump, bursting circles of sugar water, we scooped some ice cream, swirled the blackberries right in and enjoyed a sweet, fresh treat. We all marvelled at the beauty around us. We thankfully remarked about how we love our home, our neighborhood and our simple little lives. And we sat in pure bliss, savoring every last drop of melting, blue ice cream as if to silently agree that the bounty God hides for us, his children, is one of the greatest gifts in life! There is something about venturing only a few blocks from my home and being able to pick a nutritious, tasty food directly from the spot God placed it, that makes me feel safe--taken care of. I can't explain it. And it may not even make sense to you unless I say this...joy is given to us as a gift. Daily. In the simple things. If only we can stop a moment to taste it.

It's the simple things, I remind myself.

Camping @ the Metolius

We just got back from an amazing camping trip over the weekend! We were invited to join some friends from church up at Camp Sherman in Central Oregon. What a beautiful campground! It's where the Metolius River springs up from the ground and eventually runs into the Columbia. The Metolius runs along the entire camp site and is just breathtaking! We all had a great time floating in the river, playing in the sun, fly-fishing, roasting marshmallows and having great fellowship around the campfire (Josh and I played "Chubby Bunny" to see

how many marshmallows we could fit in our mouths...I was victorious!), making camp ice cream, bathing the boys in a not-so-warm tub of water, feeding the fish at the fish hatchery and basically getting as dirty as possible!

Living in the Willamette Valley, we had quickly forgotten the pristine excellence of Central Oregon-the juniper and pine needle smell in the air, the taste of the water, the kind of people you meet and the shared loved of the outdoors; it's as though we are in a constant state of worship-pure wonderment and awe. I've always felt that nature literally screams out the name of it's creator...who could ever spend a moment in nature and still deny the God of the universe?
Peter and I joke that, because we miss Bend so badly and because we would love to live there again, our subconscious blocks it out in an attempt at self-preservation! But I must say for now, we feel full! Our souls have been fed and all our sensory organs have been nourished...

Good Day!

Ya know those days? The ones that you find yourself smiling through? Today has been one of those days...a good day! It started with a good workout this morning, fun in the sun all afternoon, a good report from Olivia's dance teacher, "She's a good dancer-very focused-and we should think about putting her into a competition class", (How about first things first - like getting through Kindergarten?), some fabulous fajitas for dinner and, after dinner, Olivia let me pull her second tooth with a needle-nose pliers, the way my dad did with us kids!!


But two things in particular gave this day the "good" title: the kids' little sunbathing setup and the drip system that I installed all by myself!


As I was installing our new drip system (keep in mind it was already piped, I just installed all the drips and hoses) the kids were in the backyard playing and minding their own business. I go inside to get a tool and come back out to find them propped up in their chairs, using the patio table set ottomans for foot rests, eating a bowl of banana chips and drinking from big cups of ice water! I couldn't stop laughing...as though they were 80 years old in a Florida retirement home reminiscing the good ol' days! I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.


And as far as the drip system goes...it just gave me such an amazing sense of accomplishment and capability. I have been putting it off for over a year, terrified that I wouldn't be able to figure it out and would have to call a landscaper. I finally realized that I really should figure it out before we leave for Peter's art trip so that our roses don't die. I can't believe I figured it out. We Piersma's truly do have the "Do-it-yourself" gene! And our rose tree just bloomed it's first, big, red, fragrant rose...it's been a good day. (Should I be worried about tomorrow?)