It hasn't been an easy year for blackberries around here. Our summer didn't start until August and so most of the berries are still green. On top of that, our neighbor, on who's property we've always gone berry picking (with her consent) for years, now has her son-in-law living with her. To be blunt and to the point, he's mean and we're scared of him. So, all those berries are basically bird food this year.
(see? they are mostly like this. above my head and draped over holly bushes. but i mean to have them!)
I've been rummaging about for berries all over our property but they are hard won since they are mostly out of reach and/or surrounded by brambles and holly. Yowch! I took out a pair of hedge trimmers yesterday and whacked away at the bushes, picking berries are they were revealed. I did the same today. It's slow going, and yet I have high hope of obtaining enough to make jam. We'll see. If you have a great recipe that features blackberries, please share!
(i hope these little booger berries get a chance to reach maturity. i read that we are in for a cold fall in the pacific northwest. which would be a real bummer, given that we've had summer for about a month only.)
