8 Comments

Mulberries! I live in Portland and had no idea there were mulberries here. I've only read about them in books.

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author

Yes! There are trees and also these sort of smaller bushes. They are so delicious if you stumble on them -- sweet and inky. You have to be careful picking them because they stain anything they touch :)

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I will have to google what the bushes/trees look like. I wonder if they ever sell them in farmers markets?

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Jul 23Liked by Sonya Sanford

AH now i'm crying AGAIN!

i wish i could have been there to help you and Mio pick all those cherries, especially the ones at the top! Or better yet, to walk right up to the front door of the house with the cherry tree...i'm pretty sure i know the one you're talking about...bc i tried to do this last summer. this time, i'd introduce myself, and ask if we can help them harvest. even if they say no, which i doubt they would, you could just brand me as your "weird friend from california" and we could move on picking warm raspberries from your neighbor's bushes. i'm thrilled to see the beautiful fabric of community you've woven in Portland, and even more thrilled when i get to experience it myself. this piece was so lovely bc it made me feel like i was right there with you...which i always am, even if just in spirit.

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Jul 23Liked by Sonya Sanford

What a compelling and gorgeous piece, what a sharing of the story of sharing and an approach to life. And the beautiful physical evidence:)

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author

Thank you!!

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i'm ugly-crying at the beauty of this newsletter, filled with found fruit and genuine friendship. it's incredible how you've alchemized the discomfort of the heat and the abundance of fruit discoveries into a connection between souls who are searching for sweetness in all its forms, edible, human connection, the thrill of discovery. i appreciate this real life story of reciprocity; i can see it delightfully pinging back and forth, from tree to kitchen and back out into the world again.

Reading this piece made my day, and elevated today's lunch: the summer strawberries i rinsed to eat with my peanut butter sandwich somehow tasted even sweeter and lovelier than ever before. Thank you for sharing.

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author

No one has taught me more about the power of sharing food than you, dear friend. Thank you for this beautiful comment... I only wish we could have shared that delicious lunch together.

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