Home: Raspberry meditation

In the soft morning light, I lean into a tangle of raspberry canes, in search of dark red fruit that will add a note of tartness to my breakfast.

The exercise is part meditation, part competition, and I choose morning for both reasons. I find relaxed deliberation and thoughtful choice a therapeutic way to begin my day -- and I beat the birds to berries that have ripened during the cool overnight hours.

We've surmised that one of our home's previous occupants planted the canes intentionally, along with several rose bushes. Years later now, the six-by-eight patch has grown completely wild. We have no wish to tame it.

Satisfied that I've harvested everything I can, I return to the house to wash the fruit and refresh my coffee. I leave behind hundreds of berries to ripen, awaiting future mornings' meditation.