Bramble- Rubus plicatus Rubus plicatus is a species of blackberry native to Europe. In the UK a bramble is a wild flowering shrub with thorny stems.The shrub grows abundantly in all parts of the British Isles and harvesting the fruits in late summer and Autumn is often considered a favourite pastime. Its all very jolly and wholesome. I like that rubus sounds like ruby and the unripe bramble berries resemble rubies. The flowers on bramble bushes are actually very pretty too, they're white and delicate. I always wanted to pick them for my summer bouquets but the thorny branches hindered my efforts. As the nights grow darker and the days grow colder, autumn is in the air. I think Autumn may be my favourite season, i love the smell of the cool fresh air. Spring is the season of abundance for sure; but Autumn gifts us with trees full of kaleidoscope leaves and clusters of plump juicy brambles growing freely along hedgerows. It's the season to wind down and prepare for the winter months to come. That, in itself, is quite lovely. According to the Language of Flowers, Bramble is a symbol of remorse. I'm not entirely sure if that means, they was used as an apology or a reminder that you did wrong. A basket of freshly picked, ripe brambles is a lovely way to say sorry. Conversely a thorny bramble branch could indeed indicate some prickly feelings. Take what you will from it. Remorse. Oh boy is that something I feel a lot. I should have done more, been more, said more yaddahyaddahyaddah. I really wish i could have been more present and enjoyed life as it came instead of worrying about the future. All that does is steal from the enjoyment of the moment, nothing is gained. Its all very well in hindsight, we don't choose to make ourselves miserable really do we? Hmm. Alas, what is done is done, learn and move on. Really, just accept it. DO IT. I need extra persuasion, nothing is simple with me. At the end of the day, I did the best I could at the time and in the wise and beautiful words of Maya Angelou: Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better I know better but seem to still not do better. lets not dwell on that. If we can just be fully present in whatever our situation and give our whole selves to it, there will never be anything to regret. If that's the only lesson I learn in this lifetime, i'll be satisfied. I am however, happy to be fully present in the glorious early Autumn sunshine we have been blessed with. On that note, here's a wee verse I wrote about autumn last year:
And so it was that as curtains drew on Septembers final days, the trees let go. Sighing the leaves from their branches, they drifted to the earth, settling. An autumn carpet for winters frosty footsteps. So, I picked some brambles and made jam with my regrets. I boiled them all up with a pinch cinnamon and orange, a bit of xylitol, chia seeds and a splash of vanilla. The berries released a beautiful magenta juice as they simmered and released all their fears and regrets into the pot. Remorse; transformed into something sweet and gentle. I see brambles as a symbol of letting go of the things i cannot change, forgiveness for the mistakes I have made. I'm human and that is of our nature. I like spreading a thick layer of jam on toast. With a spicy chai tea on the side. Much easier to swallow.
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LittlebirdJenna. Free spirit, flower enthusiast, seeker of truths. Archives
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