BLACKBERRY PICKING PLUS

Norma, Jose and the kids missed the family & friends reunion, but we both were able to squeeze in an afternoon for a bit of berry picking and barbeque Sunday last.


Jose was scheduled to work, but decided he needed the day off more than the work. He commented on how quiet and peaceful it is here, especially when we walked up the canyon and got into the berry patch. We couldn’t have asked for better weather. Six year old Abbie got something picky caught in her sandals. Help dad!



The berries were fat and plentiful and early this year.


Doug and Jose did most of the picking and we put a quart of berries in my freezer, and another in Jose’s ice chest.


Anthony agreed that berries and ice cream is delicious.


Little miss Abbie had a  good time with some hair ornaments that were headed to the Good Will. She has the most beautiful, lush hair you’ve ever seen. Of course, I’m jealous since I inherited my father’s thin strands instead of my mother’s beautiful tresses.
It was nice to take an afternoon away from a far too busy schedule.  I’m still fielding work progress on the Oregon property. Yesterday, I did a final program on the Quyle Kiln’s 60th Anniversary for Public Access Television. Today, I’ll finish a written piece for Ceramics Magazine. I finished my inventory for insurance, a massive photo project, that took five days to complete between refining the watering system to withstand the water reduction requirements of the drought. (I always take on projects instead of saying no.) And, finally, I can think about what I’m going to pack to return to the Motor Home. I’m looking forward to being back on the road.

WILD AND FREE.

My son Doug is a blackberry engineer. Every year he comes up to his old high school haunts and picks roadside blackberries.  They are wild and free and mostly ignored by the locals. The last couple years, his friend, Jose came with him and  picked.  This year, Jose’s son, Anthony  joined the effort, learning how to pick berries like a master.

The idea is to pick at first sign of ripeness and test for the sugar content. Then return in a week  or two if the sugar isn’t just right. With so much rain, the berries are fat and juicy, but they haven’t gotten enough heat to develop the proper sweetness. Disappointing. Yet, you take what you get. This pick was only about six or seven pounds, delivered to the neighbors, intended mostly for jam or pies. Doug makes sugarless pies, so he had to add apple to the berries for our pie yesterday.  The next pick should  be the big one. He goes out with a pruning shears, gloves and long sleeves. He prunes away dead, non producing vines. He cuts off a berry laden vine,  drags it out, picks the berries and discards  the empty vines in a neat pile. He picks enough for the year and tucks them away in the freezer for Thanksgiving, Christmas and family reunion use. His youngest sister always gets a couple of pounds for jam. The blackberry engineer.

Afterward, everyone headed for the flume to cool off and play a bit.

Three year old Abbie, with mom, Norma,  was a bit uncertain at first,  but after a while, she too enjoyed the water and the ride.

Dinner afterwards was my bon voyage treat. Berries found their way into ice cream, pie, the fruit salad. And then, there was the mystery cake?

I was busy, doing something on the computer, I walked into the dining room and there was a beautiful cake sitting on my table. I tried to thank  the  most likely suspects, neighbors Karen and Jan.  Ron and Suzy. Nope!  Not them. Eventually, I found out it was ,  Jerry Baumgartner,  another neighbor. I didn’t hear or see a thing.  The cake was delicious. Thanks, Jerry.

DRAYTON HARBOR DAYS

Good weather, tall ships, sail boat races, steamboat parades, amateur raft races, treasure hunts, carribean costume contest, arts fair and bark on the beach. All this and caliope music should draw you to Drayton Harbor Days in Blaine the first weekend of August. Parked two miles away, and we missed it! One tall ship was still sitting in the harbor when we arrived on Monday to visit the Peace Arch Park, but you can bet your booty we won't miss it next summer. The tall ships face off in two battle sails. In the mock battle they fire black powder (small 5 lb) cannon balls, but the sound gives an idea what it must have been like in a real seafaring war.
We drove the shoreline where tourists pour out of condos, cars, vacation rentals for clamming at low tide. Families were out in force walking their dogs, kids sluicing with boogie boards through the tide puddles. Many were pickniking at the tables lining the shore and in general having a great time.

We visited the point opposite Drayton Harbor at Semiahmoo Marina where the Historic Plover Ferry still runs as a passenger only ferry between the Marina and Drayton Harbor. On the roadside we spotted a bald eagle in a tall spar beside the road. He stopped traffic for minutes as everyone grabbed a gander.

It was serendipitous that we should find a 60 foot strip of blackberry vines next to the water with huge ripe berries just asking to be picked. We ate until we were full.
Jim calls this an abbreviated summer since we got a late start, but I'm already making plans for next year. Hope you do to. What a great place to have fun.