Blackberries

On Monday the grandkids, their moms, and I went to a nearby lake and just enjoyed a wonderful lazy day skipping rocks, splashing around in the shallow water, and picking blackberries. The next day the blackberries went into a pie for Grandpa. Sort of a "peace" offering for his not being able to be with us at the lake. He sure enjoyed the pie. I don't think he likes hanging around all day at a beach anyway.

During my childhood in Alberta we spent many weekends fishing. Nature provided dessert for our picnic lunches in the form of Saskatoon berries. Later, in Saskatchewan, friends shared rhubarb and raspberries with anyone starting a new garden. When we moved to the West Coast, I was shocked at the price of raspberries and rhubarb and even with the fact that they were sold in grocery stores. I was used to them being free and in everyone's back yard. Well, BC has it's bounty too, in the form of blackberries. I'm not sure if I'll have time to pick many more, but if I do, I'll make some blackberry jam. I still prefer raspberries to blackberries and Saskatoons to blueberries. You just can't shake Alberta out of me.