Tempting Flavors

He tempted her with a single scarlet rose. Enchanted by its silky petals, she fell in love. When a thorn pricked her finger, she shied away. He tempted her with ripe raspberries. Delighted by tart nectar, she fell in love. When the berry’s cane scratched her skin, she shied away. He tempted her with an apple. Charmed by candied sweetness, she fell in love. When she discovered it was a forbidden fruit, she shied away. She tempted him with fermented flavors of rose, raspberry, and apple. Seduced by her ingenuity, he fell in love, and they drank happily ever after.

From Guest Contributor Elizabeth Murphy

Berries

An unpleasant task of my youth was picking raspberries in our backyard. Raspberries are the least tasty of Oregon’s big three, the others being blackberries and strawberries. Raspberries are also soft, easily squashed and have unpleasant texture. At times I imagined cutting the roots as a way to avoid picking them. Blackberries and marionberries (a kind of blackberry) are pleasures that can be picked while standing up and grow wild, so one need not grow them yourself or pay for u-pick. Oregon strawberries are the best tasting strawberries, but they must be bought or paid for by back breaking u-pick.

From Guest Contributor Doug Hawley