The Hub of the Wheel

Polk Salad Pickin - written by Davy Rasmussen
Song Lyrics

Sometimes the best things in life are free.  Outside our farmhouse window is a mulberry tree.  Most think of these saplings as a nuisance because of the purple fruit they drop every spring and stick to our shoes and find their way into the house, or because of the purple rain drops that get scattered all over our cars from the birds that nibble on them too.   Today our tree is the hub, the center, the revolving point to which the life flows around.  I sit out here this morning and am watching a family of blue birds fly in and make breakfast.  There are over ten red headed wood peckers that have also made reservations for the morning meal and are hanging upside down on the branches, plucking the juicy, plump,  purple berries.   If you are not familiar with mulberries, they look and taste similar to a blackberry, but much sweeter, even the unripe ones are tasty and won't cause you to pucker up like the blackberry does.  They are a good source of resveratrol, a potent phytonutrient that researchers believe can prevent cancer and aid in the fight of existing cancers.  Because of this content, several studies have shown that mulberries can even extend life.    I'm thinking that this is truly a fruit from God.  

By the time I finish my first cup of coffee while watching the hub of the wheel spin, I witness over 20 varieties of birds fly in and partake of the goodness.   Why earlier this morning, I was a part of the celebration too.  Each evening we cover the ground with old sheets and by the time the sun rises, they are covered in berries.   Some fall on their own, but many fall in the night because of the raccoons and opossums that stop by for dinner and shake the limbs as they are climbing.   Yesterday I woke up to harvest my bounty and found a Doe and her fawn nibbling from my sheets.  "Hey", I yelled.... "those are mine!!"   They ran off snorting and puffing with their white tails up, which I translated to "Screw you mister... we'll be back before the sun comes up tomorrow."  And they were, but I still emptied about four gallons worth from the sheets into a bucket this morning.  

Ruby and Ed

There is a hub in our community too, to which life and love have circled around.  When we first moved here, some 16 year ago, we met our older neighbors down the road, Ruby and Ed.  We feel lucky,  in that somehow they kind of adopted us into their amazing family of children, grand children and great grand kids.  It probably started because Ed's family tree is connected to the history of our farmhouse, but it grew over the years.   We look at them as role models in their marriage and the love they have for each other and their family.  Most all their children live on the hillsides close to their home and after being married 53 years, they would still ride up to see us on their four wheeler, were always holding hands, and would often say out loud how much they love each other.   

It wasn't long before Ed and I knew that we both had a common connection and that the two of us had a love for wild edibles.  Once his health took a turn for the worst, I began surprising him each spring with bag of polk salad, which is a southern wild treasure.  His memory started slipping through the years and he started repeating himself and old stories, which was quite alright.  I never got tired of hearing him talk about his love for polk, how his Momma would cook it when he was growing up and how you have to add a piece of bacon to make it taste just right.  

Ed went to be with God this past week and the last time I was able to see him was a month or so ago.  I had picked a couple bags of polk for Ed earlier that day and Sharon and I stopped by to deliver them while we were taking a bicycle ride.  Sharon stayed outside talking to Ruby, as she was planting some marigolds and I went in to wake Ed up from a nap.  I walked into his bedroom with my bike helmet, sun glasses, and shorts on and as I was pulling off my helmet, he opened his eyes wide.  I think he thought I was an alien.  I said " Hi Ed, this is David from up in the hollow.  I brought you some Polk Salad".   I think all he heard was "blah blah blah blah.. POLK SALAD"   There were many times when we visited that his memory would fail and he would no longer know who I was, but he stood up and said " I love Polk, let's go in the kitchen and talk for a while".  He probably thought I was a Martian, but it didn't matter.  He would welcome anybody from Mars, a stranger or just some weird neighbor that wore a funny hat, especially if they brought along some Poke.  It turned out to be a good memory day and he finally did recognize me and walked out to the porch to wave hello to Sharon.  Ed always told us that he loved us and his last words each time we got to be with him was always "Come back and see us again when you can".    

The hub and center for our little rural community only has one main branch now.   I heard Ms. Ruby ride up on her four wheeler the other day and unfortunately I didn't get outside in time to say hello.  But I did see her driving away, and as always she had a great grand child or two sitting on the back.  

So I've collected a little over 10 gallons of mulberries so far.  I am so grateful for this little tree and the life that lives because of it.   I think I'll make some mulberry pancakes for breakfast.