Remember the mulberry tree back on the farm? My Dad grew apple, pear, peach and plum trees – giving them
careful attention throughout the year. I’ve never tried to grow fruit trees, but in spite of my lack of attention, we have a massive mulberry tree on our property that continues to give us lots of sweet treats and memories. Mulberry trees tend to be gnarled, crooked, unwanted, uncultivated and as such, off the radar of our attention.
And yet if you’ve ever encountered a mulberry tree, chances are you have fond memories of children with purple stained fingers, lips and teeth – cramming sweet fruit into their mouths as fast as they can pick a handful. A couple weeks ago we spread plastic sheets on the ground and simply shook the branches. We took about 5 gallons of fresh mulberries back to the house and made jam, cobbler, fudge and kept some for adding to cereal.
This makes me wonder — what other opportunity right in front of me is waiting to add excitement, fulfilling work and possibly extraordinary income? What have I been overlooking in my life because it’s not new and flashy? In the last two weeks I’ve seen people make earrings out of cicada wings, carve discarded wood into beautiful sculptures, use wood chips for playground areas, and recycle old blue jeans into fashionable purses.
Sometimes our best opportunities are not hidden behind expensive degrees or complicated technology. Often it’s just in recognizing a new use for a common and readily available thing.
What is the mulberry tree in your life?
Oh yes, those are my granddaughters Clara and Ellie being treated to a drive-by mulberry feast.
