Walking in the Rain

I could hear the gentle drops of rain splashing quietly on the front entry when I was getting ready to go out, but it was barely raining at all. It's such a nice day out otherwise and I was itching for some fresh air. I grabbed the umbrella from it's hook in the closet just in case I needed it.



I haven't gone berry picking for quite a long time too because I've been working on landscaping and putting in a side yard. I am only 2 cups short of what I need for that blackberry jam my mouth has been watering for now. I know I've been saving up berries for quite a long time, so I should have reached my goal long ago. Those berries are just so darned good, we can't stop eating them! Since it was barely raining at all, I brought a measuring cup along so I knew when I could stop to leave the rest for our wildlife.

I grabbed the camera too, just in case I needed it and I was ready to head out the door. I planned on walking down the street to get that much needed exercise I keep meaning to get to, so I'm not sure why I didn't wear my tennis shoes. I guess I just like my sandals too much to put them away just yet. It's starting to feel like fall, but technically it's still summer. Doesn't that make it mandatory to keep wearing sandals? Okay, maybe not but I don't like having to confine my poor feet to socks and tennis shoes (or boots) so much of the year. Being fully equipped, I headed out the front door.



Look what caught my eye as I headed down the driveway. It was white just a few days ago, and now it's turning pink. The pink flower is the first one that opened. You can see the others are still working furiously to try to open too. I think it may end up getting way too cold before they even have the chance to attract the bees. Hmm, maybe that's a good thing for me....



I wandered along the driveway to my favorite patch up front only to find it covered in bees. Silly bees. They were on all of the best berries too. GRRR. I managed to pick a few from up there that weren't laden with bees, then sauntered on to the next patch. I glanced at the beehive as I meandered by it not daring to venture too close. No bees around it today, they must all be out enjoying the blackberries!

I can't believe that blackberry picking time is almost over, but judging by all of the empty spots where berries used to be I knew it was true. The rain started falling harder now. Enough now to make my glasses wet. I suppose that means I need to put up my umbrella, I DID bring it with for a reason after all!

I had to shorten my stride tremendously to keep my exposed toes from getting wet. It may not be so bad to get your feet wet when it's summer temperatures, but when it's not even 60 degrees outside it tends to make a person feel a bit chilly. I guess that walk will have to wait, but judging by the condtion of some of the blackberries I have found the blackberries won't. I decided to stay in the yard and finish my harvesting instead.



I think Anna would have paid money to watch the comedy that ensued. Imagine a crazy lady outside in the pouring rain trying to keep an umbrella over her head while holding a berry container and trying to free herself from the grabby bushes AND picking berries that don't have bees on them. (Boy is that a runon sentence or what?) Those darn bushes grab anything they can sink their thorns into including umbrellas. Who would have thought? It was quite a juggling act, I must say. I am glad I didn't bring the tool I use to move the bushes out of my way or I would have probably dropped something.

It was my hope that the driving rain would send the bees home so I went back up front. You know what? Those darn bees are as stubborn as I am, there they are underneath the berries still... eating? I take out my camera to get a picture of the industious bees once again and find that my battery is dead. Neighbors are driving by now. They must think I'm a total nut! I wave shyly since I'm still trying to be neighborly and all. If I could have seen their face through the water streaked windows on their car, they'd probably have been shaking their heads at me or something. Oh well!

Forlornly I collect myself and head back for the house with my miserable 1/2 cup of berries from today's harvest. I'll never get 8 cups of berries at this rate! The jelly recipe I found calls for 8 cups of berries. I have 6 1/2 cups. There are a few more berries out there yet too, but my optimism is quickly fading.

Maybe I'll get lucky and find a recipe that calls for less blackberries? Is it possible to cut the recipe in 1/2 and just use 1/2 a box of pectin? Then maybe I could make Cheesehead a dessert from the other 2 1/2 cups of berries I've already collected. Are there any experienced jelly makers and bakers out there who might advise this novice of what I should do?

Thank you for stopping by. Please leave me a message and a backlink. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Cindy