Blackberry Bramble

It feels like summer again; hot, humid, and sticky. It's blackberry season. Though I often prefer to venture off to pick berries alone, soaking in the sunny solitude, this afternoon I decided to take three little girls along to the back edge of our property where the  blackberry brambles grow thick and prickly.

Each small girl carried a green berry box in which to gather the treasured fruit. Warned of the vine's vicious ways, they cautiously braved the thorny old hedgerow, plucking fat fruits and dropping them into their boxes. The littlest girl was started to find her hair tangled in a sharp toothed overhanging branch. "It pulled my hair!" she exclaimed.

As I sat on the back porch just a half hour earlier, plucking tiny elderberries from gigantic clusters, I had thought how mothers of days gone by would have given the job of elderberry plucking to rambunctious young children, and yet there I sat doing it myself. My mind wandered to the patch of wild canes full of dark, sweet blackberries rotting in the summer sun and I wondered how many of today's children will one day look back with fond memories of braving blackberry prickers. After all, how many children now wander far enough from a mother's watching eye to even find a patch of wild berries?

"Naughty! Naughty! Naughty!" she shouted into the brambles, and yet the smallest girl reached in again to pull a juicy fruit from the vine full of stickers. There were squeals of pain and laughter from the other two as they too discovered the joy of blackberry bushes and the sweet reward of fresh picked berries.

Oh, D-D-D-Deer! (and an Orchard Walk or Two)

Deer seem to run in groups of two or three. Such was the case last evening when we took Mom back home while the kids watched a movie together. James was in the driver's seat when a shadow crossed the road ahead of us. He slowed way down as two more not so shadowy figures ran across the road in front of us. The last of the three took the lens cover off the passenger-side headlight before disappearing into the darkness. Phew! That could have been a mess! Bet he has one sore backside.

It is not only time to watch for crazy animals running through the darkness, it is time for orchard walks. James and I have been walking again. We took a long walk the other evening and another this afternoon. The weather has been perfect, not too hot and not too cold.




The orchards are busy again. Some of the trees have already been relieved of their burden and others are bearing heavy loads. I thought I heard this one let out a groan as I walked by.

And then there was this little tree. It obviously isn't quite like the others, but is still doing the job it was created to do. I'm not sure whether to be impressed or feel sorry for it.

Strawberry Fields

The plan is to eat strawberry shortcake this evening. (Nathan's is having a birthday.) In order that there are strawberries to be had, the strawberries had to be gotten. We "getted" them this morning. Thanks to a bit of help from Ben and Hannah, I have between eight and ten quarts sitting on my kitchen counter.

Caught in the Kitchen

Fruity, that is a good word to describe me. Today I made three batches of jam, blueberry zucchini bread, and gluten-free blueberry muffins (they're for me). I bought a couple baskets of peaches a few days ago, (you know, when the fruit flies moved in?) and last night, after a bit of berry picking (Black and blue), Beth and I discovered that one of my peaches looked very much like a hairy old man. We decided something must be done to remedy this problem and set to work sorting rotten peaches from good ones, peeling, slicing, and bagging the good ones for today's adventure.

My first batch of jam was just plain peach. When I discovered a bag of blackberries in my freezer I thought I would make the next one blackberry/peach jam. Too late I discovered the "blackberries" were really elderberries. Happy for me I was feeling adventurous. I made elderberry/peach jam instead followed by a batch of blueberry peach. I am not yet out of fruit. Peaches and blueberries still remain.

The Blacker the Berries

It is not quite time to pick blackberries. I'm not sure how prolific our harvest will be this year as the continuous downpours of the season have caused the weeds and grapevines to run roughshod over everything desirable. I have cut grapevines out of apple trees, blueberry bushes, rose bushes, perennial gardens and now blackberry canes. It is somewhat difficult to see the thorny blackberry canes through the dense tangle of prolific weeds and vines. I did, however, manage to rip open one of my fingers on the razor sharp thorns and embed several others into various fingers. I went back to the house with about a pint of berries, not near enough to do anything with. Maybe next week I will find them ripe enough to bake a pie or make some jam.

Sweet!

James and I went for an orchard walk after supper tonight. We walked back across the street, past the Fox's blueberry bushes, through the rock wall, down the hill by the pond where I smelled a different kind of orchard scent. Peaches! It smelled like peach cobbler or something. Peaches have always been one of my favorite fruits, in fact I bought some just a few hours earlier. I picked one orchard peach which I thought I might eat, but it was just too fuzzy. I ended up carrying it along with me and then inadvertently rubbed my face which is now feeling prickly from peach fuzz. I think I may never learn that peaches can be painful.

On our way home we walked along the rock wall by the woods. James was looking up at the trees in the woods and I was looking at the hedgerow when all of a sudden I stepped right into a hole. My foot went down until the ground came right up to my knee. "Ugh," I said as I fell on the ground. I was blessed to have my foot go straight into the hole rather than entering at an angle. Other than some bruising and a little stiffness, I am not hurt at all. James was pleased that he did not have to carry me back up the hill and all the way home. I know I could have easily broken my foot or been injured in a way that would have made walking difficult. I may walk with a slight limp when I get out of bed tomorrow morning, but I think I will be okay.

On our way back across the street, our neighbor called out to James. He has just been dismantling his very old swimming pool and wondered if we needed any sand. He looked quite surprised when James said yes. I guess the boys will be hard at work tomorrow filling Grandpa's trailer with sand so we can finish our new walkway.

The Very Vicious Vines

Picking blackberries is dangerous business! These thorns show no mercy and grow not only along each and every stem, but on the underside of each leaf also. It is not possible to pick any decent amount of fruit without being stabbed by at least several of these tiny hooked spears. We have finally gotten a little smarter and decided to wear those rubbery-pawed garden gloves while picking.
So anyway, Ben, Hannah, and I went out to Webster and beyond this morning. We stopped in Joann Fabrics to look for kid craft ideas and then headed over to Target where I picked up a portable crib. Beth needed hers elsewhere and Josh still needs a place to sleep at Grandma's. I think with another grandson on the way, I should have one of my own anyway. We also went to Michael's where I went in to look around and Ben and Hannah waited in the van. Along with a couple craft ideas, I found a treasure, a rocking chair! It was marked down to $23.99 from $99 and I have been thinking about finding one of these for the past couple of days. Now I have to sand, paint and stain, glue and assemble it. Another project to help keep me busy. As long as I finish some of these adventures they will be well worth getting into. Speaking of finishing, I think I need to go make another balckberry pie.

Fruity

I slept way too late this morning. I hate when I am wakened too early and then sleep too long. It always feels like half the day has been wasted, even if its really only a couple of hours. The apple sprayers were going early this morning and woke us up at 5 o'clock. We scrambled to close our window and then I tossed and turned for a while before falling back asleep. When I next looked at the clock, it was well after nine.

I am into jammin' these days. Last night I made a wonderful batch of blackberry/peach jam and today I made two batches of plain blackberry. I am working on filling up that jam cabinet and its looking good. We also had a nice big, bag of elderberries from my very kind neighbor, Bob. Ben and Hannah helped me pull them off the stems and I made two pies. One is in the oven and the other will be wrapped and frozen until Jim comes home from Minnesota in a week and a half. I have noticed that there are some elderberry trees out by the rock wall, but the birds have eaten all but a few of the berries. Maybe someday I will beat them to it. For now we are more than happy to cook up the berries Bob brings over each summer.

Another Berry Nice Day

"'I don't keer w'at you do wid me, Brer Fox,' sezee, 'so you don't fling me in dat brier-patch. Roas' me, Brer Fox,' sezee, 'but don't fling me in dat brier-patch,' sezee."

I didn't get enough punishment from the blackberry brambles yesterday. Nope, I had to go back out there with my daughter this afternoon and fill my fingers with more prickers before heading off to the grocery store. (I checked the price of blackberries at Wegman's and found them to be insanely expensive, 2 tiny containers, maybe half a pint, for $6.00. I guess I know why they cost so much!) Last night I made a batch of jam and, while we were over at Bethany's house for supper, I made a pie. Yummy!

So, this afternoon Bethany and I headed back out to fight the ferocious fruits. We braved not only the thorny vines but the not so stable (or visible) stone wall where the blackberry canes are growing. Bethany is a stout and sturdy soul. She fought her way though the prickers and picked a nice big basketful. Yes, I braved the rock wall also and my feet are letting me know they are not appreciative. But, I have another basketful too and while I was at the store, I picked up plenty of sugar, Sure-Jell, and another pack of jelly jars. And... my neighbor also brought me another bag of elderberries. Looks like my family will be enjoying another pie!

A Berry Nice Monday

I have determined to stay busy, but not too busy for a friend or two to stop by for a walk in the orchard. This morning I was honored by a visit from Gudl and her friend, Heidi, from Germany. They were on their way to see Lake Ontario and came by to say hello. We walked through the backyard toward the orchard and at the corner of our property found a wonderful patch of blackberries. From the hill we saw the lake and, of course, plenty of apple trees. They soon headed off to the beach to soak up the sun on this beautiful day.

After lunch, in the heat of the day, I returned to the blackberry vines with my little white berry basket and began to pick. I quickly learned that blackberry vines are quite vicious. I did manage to fill my basket, but not before being stuck by a myriad of tiny thorns. Blackberry picking is not for the fainthearted but rather those whose determination urges them on. I was determined this afternoon to fill my basket with the sweet dark fruits. I cried out in pain only a few times, dropped not too many berries, and bled only a little. Every once in a while I would have to stop and use my teeth to pull a sticker out of my finger. I don't think it possible to pick berries with gloves on, so if I am going to have blackberry pie or jam, I must endure the pain. (There's an analogy in there somewhere, but I won't be going into that right now.)

Wild Grapes

He dug it up and cleared out its stones, And planted it with the choicest vine. He built a tower in its midst, And also made a wine press in it; So He expected it to bring forth good grapes, But it brought forth wild grapes. Isaiah 5:2

(The picture made me think of this verse.)

While picking apples the other day, we ran into a couple of wild vines climbing through the branches. One was a grape vine with several clusters of small grapes. The grapes are dark and sweet (I tasted one) but nothing I want to try to make into jam. They're just wild. The other vine was a wild rose. I could almost overlook it if it weren't for the stabbing pain it inflicted each time I touched it. I was really just after the apples which are typically very small and misshapen due to bugs. With the very dry summer there were far fewer little pests wreaking havoc in the fruit trees. The apples are still small but they are a far better quality than other years, not near so many dark pits and lines running through the fruit. The trees though are still wild as we have no idea how to tame them.

I put up another 4 quarts of applesauce. Now I have a headache and desperately need a nap but I don't see that happening, at least not the type of nap I need, and we have our kids class at church tonight. At least the story is familiar (Jonah) so maybe we'll be okay.

Oh, Applesauce!

My poor little apple trees have been looking mighty tired, so yesterday I decided to fold the laundry and pick the apples. I needed something to put the apples in and the laundry baskets seemed just right. Now I have a whole harvest of apples. Last week Bethany asked me if I could help her make applesauce and I figured we had better get at it before her little one makes its appearance. Today we canned 10 quarts of applesauce and I haven't even started on what is in the three laundry baskets. (How will I ever wash my clothes?) It has been suggested that I make oatmeal cookies and put apple in them... I suppose there are several other things we could make and freeze, maybe even apple cider. Just have to pull that apple cider making contraption out of the barn and get it clean... I wonder how much cider I could make? Mmm, sounds good!

The Apple of My Eye

This afternoon after lunch Hannah and I took Troy and went to the farm market for a bushel of apples. I like this partcular stand because they sell a bushel of apples for $10. I can buy a whole bushel of one kind or mix the varieties. I usually mix them and then can't tell which is which when I get home. Today I bought 20 Ounce, Jonagolds, and Empire apples. The 20 Ounce are great for baking, the Empires for eating, and the Jonagold for either. We also have some little apples on our own trees. I have no idea what kind they are but they are shaped a little like a Red Delicious. This year they're perfect size for kids to eat.

Since today is Thursday and I haven't yet compiled my list of things I've learned, I'll give you a list of apples instead...

1. 20 Ounce- Great big red/green colored apples great for baking pies.
2. McIntosh- soft little apple that's great to put in lunchboxes.
3. Red Delicious- dark red with a dry flesh, not my favorite
4. Golden Delicious- a yellow apple that tastes much better than Red Delicious
5. Honey Crisp- a very expensive variety
6. Cortland- red and tart
7. Granny Smith- another green apple that is good in pies
8. Rhode Island Greenings- a very green apple that is used for sauce and baking
9. Crispin- Big yellow apples that I like to feed small children during the winter
10. Macoun- nice sweet apple... should've got someof those...
11. Idared- one Dad used to buy
12. Ginger Gold- hard to tell from Golden Delicious
13. Gala- an apple with a happy name, kids like them!

Pass the pies, please!