Saturday, July 13, 2013

Black Berry Season

Dorothy was looking out the patio doors this morning and noticed some color in the black berry patch. We took a bucket and some loppers out there to see how much we could harvest. It's the first picking so we knew it wouldn't be much. We use the loppers to eliminate any interfering weeds and black berry branches that are in the way.

 
 
Picking black berries is a tricky business. The vines grab your
skin and clothes and won't let go. It seems that the fattest and blackest
berries are always hidden deep in the center of the patch. I keep after
them because I have this image in my mind of home made ice cream
smothered in syrupy black berries. I'm careful to maintain my balance
when I'm reaching for those berries that  are hardest to get at because
if I fall into the vines I won't be able to extricate myself unassisted and
I don't know if Dorothy loves me enough to risk getting herself caught
in there with me. That would require a 911 call.
 
 
As you can see the thorns are unmerciful.  After picking the berries
it's necessary to pick the thorns from your skin.
 
 
After we picked that patch clean we drove the truck around
the pasture looking for more bushes.  Then we walked down
to the creek for the first time this summer. It's flowing but
not at the usual level. Looks like another drought is upon us.
 
 
 
 
The swimming hole is still deep  enough for the grand kids to play in.
 
 
 
All those thorns and bleeding for
this bowl of berries. Each picking will yield
more and when I'm eating my first bowl
of black berry cobbler I'll forget about
all the trouble.
 
 
 
 
 
 

5 comments:

Raksha said...

Hopefully, by the time you're eating your first bowl of blackberry cobbler, the scratches on your arms will be healed...or will there inevitably be new ones? I so envy your blackberry patch and especially your vegetable garden. I only have a tiny patch of yard outside of my apartment, but even that is sadly neglected.

Does Dorothy make blackberry jam from those berries? If so, I wouldn't turn down a jar if you want to sent me one. (How's that for a subtle hint?)

Unknown said...

Linda: If we can get enough rain to produce more berries I think we'll be able to send you a jar. Some years the berries are plentiful and some years not so much.

Lorna said...

I do hope I can leave a comment---I've been trying and trying over the past few months and get bounced out. I keep coming back though.

Unknown said...

Lorna: I will try to adjust the settings for comments to make it easier. I appreciate and look forward to your comments

Raksha said...

I've been having trouble posting comments on this blog also. I didn't know until I received your email this morning that my earlier comment ever got posted, because it was returned to me by email as "undeliverable." I also didn't realize until now that anyone else was having similar problems. I hope you've adjusted your settings and the problem is solved now.