Since June I’ve been regularly checking on a tree when I walk the dogs. At first it had tiny green berries and by early July they looked like small green olives. Excitement mounted as they began to colour, just tinges of purple at first, but they didn’t seem to grow any bigger because of the relentless heat we had. Busyness meant I didn’t take that route for a while and then last week I jumped with joy, they were starting to ripen. I had a bag with me intending to pick blackberries but instead I picked windfalls. Have you guessed what they are yet?
Who needs blackberries when there are damsons? Last year there were so few that they weren’t worth picking, but now they are all over the ground under the tree. I don’t think that anyone else picks them, can you believe that? They are in a public place that has a good number of walkers and yet they just fall and go to waste, except for the birds and squirrels. Perhaps because its in a city rather than the country, people don’t know what they are or what to do with them. Doesn’t anyone else like damson jam or blackberry and apple pie? Surely one of the joys of summer is going to pick blackberries? I love to get free food, and spreading damson jelly on my toast through the dark winter helps to make it tolerable.
What do you gather? Or am I the last of a dying breed of hedgerow raiders?
Why not go hunting in your area and see what you can find? If you’re not sure what to pick, ask an old woman like me or of course just do an image search on the internet. Foraging is the perfect way to spend a summer evening.
Tag: Blackberries
Christmas Blackberries!
Today is Boxing day and feeling too stuffed with too much rich food, it was the day for a good walk along the canal path. The weather has been mild as the weather people keep telling us so I’m forced to use their cliche – unseasonably! The buddleia bushes have thrown up fresh, silver green leaves, instead of the mouldy brown you would expect in late December. Umbelliferous plants have buds on stems remaining from summer and new shoots bursting from the undergrowth – boy do they have a shock to come, unless we really are going to skip winter this year.
It was a very pale pink flower that drew me really close though
Yes I really did take this photo today in Devon!
As well as this one,
I decided against harvesting them, hopefully they will provide some smaller beastie with a treat for supper. Apart from anything else, legend has it that Old Nick himself pees on any blackberries after the tenth of October. I expect it’s an old wives tale started to protect children from the tiny worms that commonly infest hedgerow fruit at the end of the season.
They were still a delight to see!
Lucid Gypsy 