Rambles and Brambles

We have heard rumors of a large, wild blackberry patch outside the boundaries of our property.  We have been enjoying the pickings off our 3 small blackberry patches but there has never been enough at one time to make pies or jam out of and not enough self-discipline to deny ourselves the instant gratification of popping a scrumptious, sun-warmed berry right into our mouths. 

Even Emily's dog Jessie can't resist picking the berries and eating them right off the bush!

So one day Steve got everybody all suited up in their bibbies and wellies, sprayed them all down with Off and armed with buckets and baskets to bring home the bounty, they headed off on their grand adventure.

 

 

About an hour and a half later they all trudged into our yard, tired and discouraged and telling me tales of Daddy pulling Omi out of the muck and falling over backwards because he had to pull so hard to get her out of the muck.  We detickified everyone and they showed me one sad little bucket with a lonely handful of gooseberries in it.

 

We buckled down and saved our berries after that and had enough for 2 pies when our neighbor stopped by and surprised us with some berries from her blackberry patch!  We saved them all for the next day so that when we had picked all of that day's ripe berries, we had a full gallon! 

 

 

We decided to make blackberry jam out of them all.  Oh joy!  We all love blackberry jam but the price of fresh blackberries has kept the frequency of enjoying it to a rare treat.

While the jam was bubbling away I had a moment of inspiration.  I can never tell whether my own tastes while morning sick will be appetizing to anyone besides myself so I ladled out a bit of jam into a dish and added just a touch of my "secret ingredient" and let everyone sample it to see what they thought.  I figured it would either be a stroke of genius or viewed as a lapse of sanity among the ranks of pickles and ice cream.  To my delight it was unanimous that it was just the flavor to round out the jam.
 

 

Since we never do anything by halves we decided to make pepper jelly while we were at it. 

Our pepper plants are all in a race to outdo one another and we can easily go pick a peck of peppers.
 

 

 

We ran out of pectin so our last batch of jelly was an another experiment using other foods that are high in pectin.  I thought maybe I might be on a roll so I just went for it!  I used carrot, lemon zest and juice, various varieties of peppers, and a handful of blackberries.

We simmered it until it had jelled sufficiently and then we poured it in the jars and called it good.
 

 

This week has also been VBS week for us and everyone was either enrolled or volunteering except the youngest two, who stayed home to have uninterrupted playtime with Mommy.  Steve was also working a 70 hour work week this week. 

I am quite pleased with all that we have accomplished this week.  I need to collapse and recover for a spell, but we've got jars and jars of glittering jam glistening on our countertops!

The Song of the Blackberry Fairy

My berries cluster black and thick
For rich and poor alike to pick.

I'll tear your dress, and cling, and tease,
And scratch your hands and arms and knees.

I'll stain your fingers and your face,
And then I'll laugh at your disgrace.

But when the bramble-jelly's made,
You'll find your trouble well repaid.

Here's my very own little blackberry fairy who faithfully picks the ripe berries twice a day, every day...