Blackberry Gold

Last week, I did something I’ve not done in many years!

I remember picking blackberries when I was a young girl but evidently there was a lot of the experience that I forgot. I remember the plump juicy berries ripe for the picking – covered in cream and sugar or made into hot sweet blackberry dumplings. Simply delicious! I forgot the briars and thickets and chiggers and snakes and…..

So, when my friend, Teresa, invited me to go blackberry picking with her, I readily agreed. In fact, Dad and Jeanette came along for the adventure and what an adventure it was.

We hoped on the truck tailgate and off to the blackberry patch we went. When I say patch, I really should probably say, field because this was one huge tract of blackberries. Teresa’s mom, Carol, was our tour guide and showed us girls where the ripe (semi-accessible) berries were. Dad, being a guy, took off threw the middle of the briars looking for those evasive-extra-plump hard-to-get-to berries (come to find out – others before him had the same idea!)

As we were picking, the dogs kept us company for which I was thankful. You just never know what is in the briar thicket with you. But I was totally amazed to see them eating the blackberries themselves, right off the vine. Here I couldn’t even take a step without getting a long briar vine stuck in my hair or some part of my anatomy and the dogs were just sticking their heads in the brush and eating away (the good, plump, juicy ones!)

Speaking of things being in the thicket, everytime I stuck my hand in the bush for a really plump berry, I was very nervous, expecting a hiss or a rattle. How come all the best ones are just out of reach? I didn't realize that June Bugs also love blackberries...I don't know how many times I nearly jumped out of my skin when the June Bugs took off right by me! I even ended up with some in my pail and I had to find a big stick to get them out!! (It was quite laughable....afterwards!)

After an hour or so of trapaising around the patch, we finally had had enough. All together the three of us had picked almost a gallon and a half of berries. But we were so tired, scratched, bleeding, itching, and still getting stuck by the briars in our clothes. We felt like we had been rung through the wringer. Maybe I’m not as much of a country girl as I think I am!

I have come to one conclusion: Blackberries are worth their weight in gold. But, oh the satisfaction, of sitting down in a nice comfy chair in a nice cool house eating your own hand-picked blackberries covered in cream and sugar. Mighty tasty!

Joy 2 u ….“C”