Who Says Cranberries Don't Grow on Trees?
My husband Benjamin and I couldn’t do the crazy musician life if it wasn’t for our friends and family. Wow! What a humbling experience to have so much support and generosity from our community.
Two of the most influential people throughout this journey have been Dan and Jody Mayhew, friends who let us live with them for five years. They even let our cats come! During our time with them, I had many occasions to embarrass myself. When you live with people, there are countless opportunities for your imperfections to be all the more obvious.
One of my favorite memories at their lovely house in NE Portland occurred shortly after we moved in. I had just gotten an iPhone that took better pictures than I’d been used to (if only I knew what improvements were to come). I was eager to talk it on my walks through the neighborhood and catalogue my ramblings.
On one particular day, the sun was shining, the sky was a brilliant blue. Red, yellow, and orange leaves were falling, and the air was pleasantly chipper. My warm heart noticed all the details of the afternoon.
After a few streets, I stopped in front of a beautiful image. Low and behold, there was a gorgeous cranberry tree flourishing in the autumn sun. What a treat! I'd never seen a cranberry tree before. I began to think of all the blessings God gives, and yes, readers, I began to cry in front of my new friend, The Cranberry Tree.
Out came the phone. I took a few shots to capture the moment then concluded my stroll. I had to get home and present my pictures to my housemates.
Glad to find Jody in the living room, I related my time, how I had started crying at the beauty of the cranberry tree. To my surprise, Jody shook her hand and politely disagreed with me. According to her, I had not seen a cranberry tree. Oh, but I had, I insisted, and pulled out my phone to provide sufficient evidence. Very diplomatically, Jody informed me again that I had NOT seen a cranberry. Cranberries grow in bogs…
Of course. Cranberries grow in bogs. I’d seen the Ocean Spray commercials. I just hadn’t quite put it all together. Science was never my strong suit.
Speaking of science, let’s talk about this whole bog thing for a moment. First of all, I don’t really get what a bog is. From the footage, it looks like a swamp. There aren’t too many things we would willingly eat out of a swamp, but somehow, cranberries win.
So in conclusion, cranberry trees only exist in my mind. But friends like Jody exist in reality. I’m grateful for all the people who support me in this unconventional way of life and also give me a dose of reality once in a while, even if reality does crush my uninformed, unscientific dreams.
~Enjoy the journey, Heidi Beth
In my imagination, cranberry trees will always be a thing.
TELL ME:
What’s a fact that you learned later in life that you’re a little embarrassed about? And what the heck is this tree? Are those poisonous berries, looking so innocent in the sunlight?
BOHEMIAN CHALLENGE:
Go for a walk and take a zillion pictures. Don’t be like me, though, and forget to pay attention to where you’re walking. Tripping is no fun.
This post was originally published on chasingebenezer.com. It has been updated to provide you a with better reading experience.
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