Rural Physical Therapy For The Vestibular Challenged

Or RURAL YOGA if you will!

Here I am in shorts and a t-shirt picking blackberries at dusk. Yes the sun had already set and there was faint light just enough left to distinguish the black color of the berries from the green ones.

Fortunately King County was kind enough recently to cut back the brush on the side of the trail. "Great no problem! I should be able to reach a few ripes berries for my tupperware containier before there is absolutely no sunlight left." Although the brush was somewhat cut back it was still a challenge to work my way in there to the closest ripe berries without scraping my legs all up or crashing into the bush from a bramble that grabbed my foot. I had pants with me in a small backpack but there was no time for changing. I had to get as many berries as I could before the sun was completely gone.

I did take the time however to put on an oversized t-shirt over my sweaty tanktop so I could keep the scratches on my arms to a minimum. I had to really stretch to reach some of those upper berries. Then I decided to just go from underneath and contort my body into somewhat of a light squat so I could access those big black jewels hidden beneath the foilage.

In my attempts to carefully reach in without scratching my hands and arms to hell, a bramble snatched up my long hair that I had tied back. So here I am in this partial squat postion, one arm in the middle of the bush, the other holding the container, and my head in a firm grasp by the blackberry bramble jetting out above me. During this time, I had to carefully try to balance between everything without falling completely in the bush and scraping myself up with the vile thorns and spilling my beloved prize all over the ground.

What to do..what to do???? Hmmn. Carefully I finished retreiving the beauties I went in after while the bush tugged ferociously at my hair. After my berry retreival, I used the same hand to carefully feel a section of the bramble that did not have thorns and then pulled the bush out of my hair.

Ahh but those berries were too tempting so I did it again! This time my hair was really stuck so I had to practically pull my hair out to be released from the bush.

It was time to delve deeper into the bush and get at those far reaching berries as I picked all the most accessible berries in a pair of shorts. I sat in the hay on the other side of the trail and pulled my jeans out of the pack. Jake rolled in the hay next to me. But time was of the essence! There was no time to put the pants on perfectly so I pulled them on over my shorts, half zipped them, and went back to work. Thus my pants were kind of falling off but it did not matter if I did not move around too much. I just needed to get into a couple spots and and do the yoga berry picking position.

I could get much further into the bush with a pair of jeans on but this also made my footing less stable as the brambles seemed to grab at my feet. I had to be careful not to trip. Ah berry heaven! I looked up at the plethora of berries which was now surrounded by swarms of mosquitos! Do I dare reach up there? I did not want to invite them down for a visit.

I tried to find as berries as I could that were not surrounded by the swarms but alas my sweat drenched body from jogging the trails earlier was just too enticing for them. I was beginning to smell yummier than the berries! Fortunately I had pants on so my legs were not getting bit up but my exposed forearms and neck were!

Remember my method......one hand holding the container, one hand in the bush picking, and a firm stance (feet spread apart for my footing). Any sharp manuevers or quick turn of the head would send me crashing into the thorny bush and leave me a bloody mess (literally!). Therefore, I had to let some of the little buggers eat me! After I got my berry, I would try to grab and kill the nasty buggers that landed on me.

It was getting too dark to distinguish the color of any berries under the leaves or in the darker area so I was left with the decision to reach the berries in the remaining light (where the swarm happened to be). Now for those of you who know what I have been through lately this was an amazing feet to even maintain any sense of balance given the situation in the approaching darkness!

I kept my feet stable and bravely reached toward the sky where there was some beautiful black gems. I tried to pick as many as I could. I felt the sqeeters sucking my neck and swarming around my face. It became too much for me and I was overpowered. It was not enough to make a pie but there is a nice amount for good eating. I decided it was time to get the heck out of there before I became engulfed by the bush and bugs!

What can I say???? I am like a bear. I love my blackberries!