Last summer on an early morning jog I happened upon a Honeysuckle bush which instantly transported me to 1969 Phoenix, Arizona.
This morning as I finished my run at the Weber High School track, a bush once again zipped me to another place and time. Actually I’ve been looking at this bush for the last few months and had identified it as a Black Currant Bush. I haven’t seen one in years, yet was positive from the shape of the leaves and then the small blossoms that it truly was what I thought it was. This morning that little currant bush had ripe berries hanging on it. I stopped midstride and plucked a handful of the darkest, plumpest currants from the bush and walked home popping them into my mouth—and that is when it happened! I was instantly in Hinckley at the Main Street house where currant bushes grew in several locations on the property. My Mom made currant jelly once, but decided it was way too much work and bother for the little bit of preserves she was able to extract from two hours worth of picking. After that they just became kid or bird feed and were free to whoever could eat them first. Black Currants are tart and tangy and have tiny, little seeds and they ‘pop’ when you bite them. They are extraordinarily high in Vitamin C (I looked it up on the internet and a ¼ cup serving provides 302% of the daily recommended allowance of vitamin C).
I keep finding myself transported by sight, smell and taste to other times and locations. I must watch out for those 'time traveling' bushes. Of course, the ultimate lesson to be learned from a currant bush was expressed in that timeless talk given by Hugh B. Brown entitled, "The Currant Bush". I think I need to go read that one again...
3 comments:
You just transported me back to my grandmas bush that was HUGE. Loved those black currents and used to spend hours with uncles and aunts, cousins, grandparents, parents and siblings picking and eating them when they got their blackest! Yummmm!
Okay...WHAT TIME DO YOU GET UP in the morning? You posted this at 5:16 AM! And that's AFTER going for a run. WOW...I thought I get up early (5:50). I like currant jelly very much, but I don't have to make it. Last year my dear friend, Joanie, made some from her currant bushes and gave me a jar. And when I make oatmeal cookies...I almost always use currants instead of raisins. I'm going to have to look up Brother Browns talk. I don't think I'm familiar with it.
I have my own rememberance of currant bushes. I once picked a whole bowl full, ate what I could and saved the rest for later. As I was later enjoying the tasty fruit from the bowl, I noticed movement in the bowl...maggots! I spent the next 20 minutes in the bathroom spitting, gagging and washing out my mouth. To be fair, maggots don't taste all that bad.
Post a Comment