~ blueberry pickin' ~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Last week we went to South Carolina

to pick some delicious blueberries 

with friends we hadn't seen in forever.

Forever being three weeks

when you're used to playing together

every week.

The Sun was shining high in the sky 

and the temperature was marking upward 

but these 7 dauntless children 

really did their part to pick the sweet berries.

Armed with our trusty quart containers,

they plucked and nibbled and plucked some more

until both families had nearly a gallon each!

Even this tiny little one was picking berries!

She has a blueberry tooth like her littlest big brother.

While the children played, the mommas chatted

and topped off the containers

and added another quart each to the blueberry stash.

Of course, sometimes there were blueberry thieves....

....but who can blame them?

After picking berries

we found refuge under a pecan tree 

for a picnic.

Thanks for meeting us Blu(berry)menfelds!

And thanks for sharing your watermelon.  

Until our next berry picking adventure

enjoy all the sweetness in your life.

carrie

~ ducks in the bog garden ~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Saturday, before Grandaddy's memorial service,

we took the girls to the Bog Garden in Greensboro, NC.

~ fallen seed pods from a big beautiful magnolia tree ~

Granmama and Grandaddy lived just up the road 

from Bicentennial Gardens and the Bog Garden.

~ a bunny hopping by the creek gets everyone's attention ~

During my childhood visits,

we walked there from their house.

I remember it being three miles,

not three blocks.

~ beautiful boardwalk through a swampy area ~

I remember Grandaddy taking me to feed the ducks

and that there were a million catfish.

~ "i hear ducks quacking!" ~

Even though it has been many years,

I can still hear the sound of their mouths slapping at the surface

and seeing their whiskered faces all over the surface of the water.

~ "we found them!" ~

The girls have already connected "ducks" with their GP.

~ domestic and domestic-wild hybrids ~

His home is filled with ducks of all sorts.

And they loved playing with them during their visits.

~ feeding time ~

Looking out on those ducks 

and remembering the time we spent there

with a heel of stale Wonderbread

was laughing and crying at the same time.

~ more ducks and a more better camera color setting ~

Seeing the girls so quickly move on with Life

after his passing 

brought me comfort

because they too saw his Spirit everywhere.

~ nope, i wasn't feeding them again ~

Especially in the ducks.

~ brief stop at bicentennial gardens ~

We ate some snacks, had some water.

And meandered back to his memorial service.

~ "these are for GG" ~

~ "do you think she'll like them?" ~

It was beautiful and comforting.

Lela sat in her Pop's lap.

Liv fell asleep in her Gran's arms.

Watching the girls run around, and laugh and dance

after the service

brought so much joy and peace.

They weren't worried.

And in that moment, neither was I.

carrie

~ blackberries ~

A couple weeks ago 

we went blackberry picking

with some good friends.

We chose the thornless variety

for easy of picking for little hands.

We fashioned a few extra picking buckets

from quart yogurt containers

and some cotton yarn.

Two gallons are short work 

when you have willing and able helpers!

Even tiny ones could help!

And picking is always more fun

with friends.

We were all certain to remember 

the blackberry picking mantra:

Pick two, eat one.

After our containers were full

we explored a bit.

Make room for Farmer Laurel!

Wheeee!

Can't wait to go back

for more blackberries and fun soon!

And this cobbler recipe is my favorite

courtesy of The Pioneer Woman.

carrie