From the Land of Blueness

My sad little blueberry patch is bursting with blueness. I took a little walk out there this evening and found that quiet peaceful spot of years gone by. I filled an eight cup measure and then went back to the house for a basket and filled that up too. There is a little boy a couple miles south of here who wouldn't mind having a few blueberries to snack on, so tomorrow I will be sending some off with Hannah for her friend Raul. (He picked a few of his own when the grandkids were here for Hannah's birthday so he knows they're yummy.)

The birds have been leaving peck marks in my berries too but I guess there are enough to share with birds and snails (who apparently also like blueberries). I think it was last year that I said "Forget the blueberry patch! I'm letting it rest for a year and the birds can have them all." And look. Now I have enough to share again.

Some of the branches are heavy and low to the ground, so I sat down in the grass to pick off the fruits and take a "Lookin' Up" picture. (I think I like it. Maybe I should use it for a banner at the top of my blog...)

I filled this little basket right up to the top and could probably fill it up again once more (maybe tomorrow). If I'm feeling especially kind, I might just make a pie, just one, and maybe I'll dig up a good blueberry coffee cake recipe. Whatever is leftover can either be eaten by James or be popped into the freezer for a future occasion. (If those grandchildren don't hurry back I'll have those bushed picked clean.)

Work and the Blues

Feeling fickle and still tweaking my work schedule. I'm cutting back to 21- 29 hours a week. Although the job near home is nice, it means another entire afternoon tied up every week and I am feeling overwhelmed, so... after this week I'll be working 8 hour days Monday, Tuesday, and every other Saturday, and 5 hours on Wednesday. I think I can handle that.

Blueberry season is upon us and there is no way I can keep up. Our wet spring has left our berries plump and juicy. I am glad for grandchildren who find berry picking fun. Maybe they will pick enough to make a pie. I'd be willing to bake them one if they are willing to bring in the blueberries. As for myself, I'm going to avoid pie at all costs. It only piles up under my chin and I can't afford anymore of those shenanigans. I think I'll pick enough for My Darling to snack on and leave it at that.

It was a long day at work. My dear friend has been feeling terribly anxious while sitting in the dining room or common areas. She is her most quiet and settled self when laying on her bed during the afternoon hours. I put a CD in the player while she rests and attempt to keep myself busy with writing, crocheting and... gulp!... doing word search puzzles. I eat my lunch and try to stay quiet.

Some days the Memory Care Unit feels especially sad and life appears terribly short. I have to gather up moments to smile at like when my friend "saw" a woman with a turtle and asked if I ever had one. "What's a turtle good for?" I asked her, "Soup?"
"Well, they're good for soup," she answered, "but they make good pets because they're too slow to get away"
Yes, sometimes Memory Care is lighthearted and those are the moments I must take away to savor.

Full of Beans

Tomorrow is Hannah's birthday party/ bonfire. It's sure to be a busy one, as was today, so if you don't hear from me tomorrow, that'll be why.

I hadn't planned on making a bean salad for tomorrow, but my visit to the garden this morning made me think otherwise. Three Bean Salad was a favorite of my parents and made an appearance at almost every summer picnic. Mom used canned beans, but today I used garden fresh ones instead. My Darling is a fan of this dish but my brothers in law are not so much so it gives my sisters a chance to enjoy the treat without making it themselves.

I had three small berry pickers here for the day. I sent them to the ragged blueberry patch while I picked beans and they each picked a box of sour berries to munch. They were quite pleased with themselves.

And Then We Had Breakfast

Priscilla arrived early this morning. She brought her Christmas Present Waffle Iron along, and her very own special mix for making waffles. As she cooked up waffles, I made coffee and orange juice. We topped our fresh cook waffles with vanilla yogurt and blueberry topping. Oh, yummy! Did I say I was going on a diet? How silly of me!!!

Blossoms and Bees

In spite of the nasty spring and dour reports of lost fruit crops, the sprayers have been busy in the orchards surrounding our house. On spraying days there is the constant drone of far off sprayers, kind of like giant mosquitoes in the distance.

James and I went out for a walk last night. After listening to see where the tractors might be, we decided to venture south, across the road, and along the woods toward the pond just over the hill to the west. Rather than come straight home upon reaching the street, we took the old orchard road that leads back toward the lake and around behind our property. We were directly north of the house when we heard a parade of tractors enter the orchard from the main road, there must have been three or four. Not wanting to get caught in the spray, we made a direct "run" for the house, except we weren't really running. I had just reached the barn when I looked back toward the apple trees where a sprayer was shooting a cloud of spray. Whatever they are spraying doesn't smell and must be okay for the bees, however, I don't think I would like to find myself face to face with either the tractor or the sprayer. I was glad we beat the crowd and made it back home.

My blueberries are looking okay so far. The flowers haven't yet opened, a perk of being so close to the lake. Sometimes it keeps us warm, and sometimes it provides just enough cold to keep the blossoms from opening too early. I hear other local farmers were not so lucky. I must remember this while out picking at the end of July. If we have a berry crop, it will be a gift.

Apparently there is hope for Mr. Fox's apples too or I don't suppose he's be out there tending to them. I'm guessing that irruption of Red Admiral butterflies might also be good for the apple crop. I think they're helping the bees this year. They've been everywhere the past few days!

Evening Blues

My little guys were here to visit this afternoon. As I was snuggling my newest baby on the back porch, Lucas picked up Jasmine's empty water dish and started off with it.

Hey," I said, "Where are you going with that dog dish?" as he stepped off the back porch.

"I'm gonna pick some blueberries," he replied. Of course, I knew he wouldn't forget the blueberry patch. I'm just glad there are still berries down there to be picked.

I put the baby down, found some berry boxes, and we headed down to pick a few berries.(We left the dog dish on the back porch.) Simon decided to accompany us, as well as Leta. The boys munched on their pickings, or dumped them in the long grass... and Leta took home a nice sized bag of berries as well.

This evening I made a return to the berry patch and picked some more late summer fruits. The sun cast long beams of light and shadows across the lawn, turning the grass to gold and lighting up the tender leaves of the berry bushes. The air was cool enough to warrant long sleeves (though mine were short), making it feel just a little bit like fall. Although some of the bushes are barren, others are heavy laden and more than willing to be relieved of their burden.

Aside from this afternoon, I hadn't been down to pick blueberries for a week or more. Tonight, rather than a plastic Tupperware bowl, I picked a basketful of berries, a pretty basketful, and took my camera too, of course, to record the moment... I can almost smell those blueberry muffins baking.

The Blueberry Blues

I've not spent many hot afternoons in the berry patch this year, instead I've taken to picking blueberries in the cool of the evening. The real reason is that it was un- bearably hot when the berries first ripened and standing out in the sun midday would have been nothing short of insane, not to mention terribly uncomfortable. I was half tempted to leave the entire patch to the birds, but since I hate to let good food go to waste, I couldn't let that happen and therefore took to going out after supper when it was a little bit cooler.

In years past we have set a small table out by the road in front of our house, put out a sign, and sold blue- berries. A coffee can with a slotted lid and a rock inside (to keep it from blowing off the table), and the honor system, worked well. Whatever went into the can was my summer spending money. The berries that didn't sell got put into bags and deposited into the basement chest freezer for winter pies and desserts, or just to pull out and eat frozen.

Most years friends, or my sisters, have come to pick, but so far this year only my neighbor has been over. I saw him out there this morning filling his bucket. Perhaps I'll find another friend looking to fill a basket or two. I know there's no way I am going to pick them all, besides I'm going to take another trip up to Canada this weekend so it will be Monday before I go back out there. I doubt my kids will be picking when I'm gone, but you never know, it could happen.

Blueberry Pickers

I had some help in the blueberry patch this morning. Lucas and Simon were here for a few hours. I decided perhaps they would like to help me pick some berries. Of course, little boys are not really expected to fill up a box but I gave them each a pint sized one anyway. "Pick the blue ones," I told them.

Lucas found picking berries to be a fun job. Though he knows some of his colors, he obviously wasn't paying much attention to which berries were blue and which were not.

Simon as mostly interested in eating the berries. I'd drop a few in his box and he would either eat them or spill them on the ground. He picked a few too, but I'm not sure I ever saw any before they were popped into his mouth.

I'm thinking these little guys will be wondering about the blueberry patch the next time they come to Grammy's house. Guess I'd just as soon let them pick berries as leave them for the birds.

Promises

Creation is full of promises. I glimpsed several as I traversed the yard this afternoon. Tiny folded flowers in germ form. In a few short weeks the scent of lilacs will fill the air. I will breathe deep, sneeze often, and drink in their beauty in spite of my allergies. (I love lilacs...)

Embryonic Sassafras leaves caught my eye. Rolled into marble sized capsules, ready to explode into the sunlight. Why have I never noticed them before?

Dandelions, "Summer on a Stem." Weeds to one, flowers to another. Though I am not a fan of stalky dandelion stems poking though my freshly mowed lawn in July, I do find them cheery in April. They mean summer is not far off, or at least I like to think so. Either way in April they always make me smile.

I wandered out to the blueberry patch. Tightly packaged and barely noticeable today. Their tiny, bell-shaped flowers never put on much of a show and I wouldn't even know the canes were starting to bud if I hadn't ventured down to look.

Promises... every one of them working hard to be all the Creator intended. (Have I said this before? Well, I've thought it anyway...) Do trees and flowers feel pain or sorrow as they grow and are stretched? Do they ever tire of going through the same process year after year? It doesn't appear so. Why is it so hard then for us?

B is for Blueberries

B is for Blueberries

On the east side of our property, a nice little distance from the house, is my struggling blueberry patch. For the past ten summers I have spent untold hours standing out there, sunshine or rain, picking berries. I have been helped my friends and family, but the majority of the the picking has been left to me. Most of the time I am not bothered and enjoy the peace and quiet of the blueberry patch.

On a good year, when there is plenty of rain and lots of sunshine, the crop is good. I have been known to fill buckets and boxes and set them out front for neighbors to buy. I've been known to give folks a bargain because otherwise no one stops to buy any.

Blueberries are good for baking. We put them in muffins, coffee cakes, pancakes, and pies. I have turned them into jam, tossed them on my breakfast and eaten them fresh off the bush. Birds also like blueberries and we often find them half-eaten which is rather frustrating. I have several bags of blueberries waiting in my freezer. Maybe I'll turn those berries into pie... or a Blueberry Buckle!

Click here for more of ABC Wednesday Round 8.

Looking Forward

Blueberry bells are bobbing in the breeze. Now if only I can use up what remains in the freezer without eating it myself...

A Little of This and a Little of That

I have been "cleaning" my freezer lately. Each day I take a little something out and cook it up into something yummy. I call this "cleaning" because it is food that has been hiding out in the basement, all but forgotten. I have made venison sausage chili, a stuffed and roasted turkey, and several pies. Last night I made another blueberry pie; very yummy in the middle of winter, especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
My Darling has been busy working on a long avoided project, our downstairs laundry/powder room. We have long known it needed help. When our toilet tank cracked this fall we knew a remodel was not far off. On Tuesday James removed the fixtures and appliances and started gutting the little room, right down to the two by fours. Messy job. Down came the wallpaper, out came the drywall, into the trash went the yucky old insulation. Or what was left of it. We have decided that this little room with the low ceiling probably once served as the family woodshed. It even has a door which has been sided over on the outside. Now we pile the firewood on the back porch instead which works fairly well if one doesn't mind having it covered with snow.
Since work has been slow James has been able to dedicate most of his daytime hours this week to getting this little room not only taken apart, but put back together again. He is much better at getting projects finished than I am. Yesterday he worked on plumbing, this morning he started putting up the drywall and mudded it. Tomorrow he hopes to start painting. I will have a new laundry/powder room in no time! Pretty cool, huh? We have actually thought lately about moving, downsizing our house, paying off some bills, and having less to keep up with, but we're not really sure yet if that is our best option. Time will tell.

Time Flies

I did not accomplish all I set out to this week, but that is not really a surprise. The wonder is that I accomplished anything at all! Summer is flying by and I am helpless to slow its momentum. It will soon be autumn and two little girls will occupy my days and set my schedule. School will start and fall colors will grace the fields and trees. I'm not sure if I'm ready. We must find some water to play in before the season ends and maybe take a trip to the beach. (We're thinking Sunday afternoon...) It's hot enough this week to feel like summer so maybe by the time September arrives I will be ready after all.

The Never Ending Blues

I was blessed this afternoon to have some friends offer to help me pick blueberries. Between Michelle and I and five children, we were able to cover the patch in a rather short amount of time. I continue to be amazed at the blueberry production this year as the last few years were progressively dismal. Record amounts of rain have led us to believe that our bushes have been slowly dying of thirst, rather than some unknown disease or infection. I must remember to purchase a drip line for next year.

The school year is also creeping up on me. I am so not ready for a new school year and have not yet turned in all of last year's paperwork. I must sit down with my pile of books and figure out what I am doing or I shall be in a heap of trouble. Please pray that I can find Hannah's books from last year so I can send in my final reports. I have no clue where the box that holds them has disappeared to. I had thought about attending a used curriculum sale tomorrow night but have my doubts about whether or not I will actually get there much less what I would be looking for. Probably something I sold or gave away within the last year. (My plans changed since then...) What I do know is that HIS soccer starts in a week and a half and Hannah is signed up to play on Saturday mornings. This means I must find her a pair of soccer cleats and locate her suddenly missing soccer ball...

Suddenly Summer

Last night thunder rumbled and lightening flashed. Rain poured down filling the air with a thick, sticky blanket of humidity. It is suddenly summer and I am suddenly exhausted. That is what this kind of heat produces, a desire to find a hammock in the shade and take a snooze. It is 81 degrees but with a humidity level of 76% it feels more like 89. It is too hot to pick blueberries.

I made my way down to the berry patch much too late in the morning. The birds were already having lunch. They appear thrilled by the summer sun and find feasting in my berry bushes a wonderful past time. On the other hand, the patch is not quite so alluring for me this week. I did pick a bucketful before making my way back to the house, but I am neither eager nor anxious to return any time soon.

Blackened Blueberry Pie

Someone mentioned "just desserts" and I think I really got mine this time. I'm sure somebody out there will be amused. (see today's original post below...)

Tastes Like Feet

No, not the pie...
Ben and Hannah have been helping out with VBS at a local church this week. It is a church where my own children have attended Vacation Bible School through the years and has always been one of Hannah's favorites. She is more than happy to spend her mornings there helping out.

Around noon I went to pick them up and chatted with a few other moms. I was talking to my friend, Becky, when three of the teachers, all sisters, came down the sidewalk on the way to their car. One was carrying a fishing pole and a net, obviously props for today's Bible lesson. "Going fishing? Did you catch anything? Becky asked them. They smiled and one said they had caught a lot of little paper fish. My mind flashed back to Bible stories. "Did you catch any men?" I asked. "No..." replied the one with the net and pole. Here my friend, Becky, piped in again. "They get asked those kinds of questions all the time," she said.

These sisters are all beautiful young women in or close to their thirties. None of them are married. As I rolled my tongue across my toes I realized what they had thought I meant. I tried to get my foot out of my mouth, after all my question had nothing at all to do with their singleness or them catching themselves a husband. "I was talking about Jesus making us fishers of men," I said. It's one of those Bible stories commonly taught to children. I had been pretty sure that was their story today. One of the girls was blushing, maybe I was too, I'm not sure. I tried to assure them I had no intention of saying they needed to be married, I don't even pressure my own children that way. I hope they believed me. One of them was laughing as they walked away...

PS. I won't tell you, but I had pie for breakfast.

Blueberry Pie

I know that by now everyone is sick and tired of hearing about blueberries, so today I will not tell you about them or what I did with them this afternoon, nor will I tell you how I almost dropped the pie while putting it into the oven. You probably don't want to know how the pie crust is sunken on the edge because of how it landed on the oven door or how good it smelled baking. You won't want to know how good blueberry pie tastes with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a hot cup of coffee, so I just won't tell you.

Objects In My Mind

Have you ever spent so much time doing one thing that when you close your eyes the shapes and colors remain and the objects still move in your mind? Last week when I closed my eyes at Ladies' Prayer I saw bunches of little circles. My first thought was "what computer game have I been playing?" and then I realized that those round objects we not balls or pegs in a game, but blueberries. How funny! I was relieved to know that this time it was not incessant game playing that left these shapes imprinted in my subconscious but hours spent picking and sorting berries.

Last night I packed berries into quart and pint boxes and this morning I hauled them off to church to give away. I have bags and bags of them waiting in my freezer and really don't need to hoard them all. This afternoon another church friend came over and helped me pick. It was nice to have some company and nice to see the bags go home with someone who loves blueberries and will enjoy them. Tomorrow I will let the patch rest and spend some time with my little grandson whose mommy and daddy are taking the jr. high church group camping for a couple of days and maybe I'll find the time to cook up something yummy too, maybe a pie...

Blue By You (I am grasping at straws here...)

I know that is not how to spell bayou, but then my berry bushes aren't growing in Louisiana. Right at this moment I am happy to be living in New York state where clouds are abundant and the weather has been mild and cool. It makes standing out in the berry patch for hours rather peaceful and bearable besides, or is that "berry-able"? Either way I have determined to enjoy the time of gathering.

The bushes had a rest from my grabby hands all day Saturday and most of Sunday, but last night we went out and filled a bucket, and today I have filled several more. I rewarded myself with a blueberry milkshake when I came inside. Mmmmm!

It was a busy weekend of parties and picnics with plenty of sunshine and one mighty downpour. Bethany's friend, Carissa, got married on Saturday evening. The ceremony took place outside after the "reception", when the sky grew dark and romantic. We even witnessed a huge shooting star behind the platform. The wedding was unique and very nice. Yesterday afternoon was the church picnic. I opted to leave my camera home this time and just enjoy the day. During the baptism there was a terrific rainstorm with monster raindrops. James and I were safe and dry inside our van during the rain. Everyone else looked like they had been baptized unless they were wise enough to bring an umbrella.