When a man slows down and observes nature day by day, there are many lessons to learn.
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From flower to ripe fruit I have watched the growth of this particular briar.
At each stage it has offered something to the surrounding ecology:
- As a safe dense nesting site for the nightingale
- a source of nectar for the bees
- fresh young shoots and leaves for blackberry tea
- green fruits as a host for tiny wasps
- and finally the sweet energy rich berry – a feast for all in this special place.
All around me this effortless wild bounty is maturing and the inhabitants can be heard rejoicing.
Yet there is no greed at this founding feast.
The blue tit takes only what it needs from the ripe berry, leaving the rest intact for the next animal and so on with each visit.
This is nature’s way of saying Grace.
Photos: Blackberry in the medicine spot. Courtesy of the author