Sunday, August 06, 2006

Sweet Pickin's At Draggonfly Bog



(photo by "Angeldust", Aug.2006)

On Thursday afternoon i went for my usual walk
around Dragonfly Bog. I took an empty 1L Yogurt
containter, hoping that i would get enough wild black
raspberries to make some jam. What i encountered
exceeded my wishes and abilities to contain, and as
i was picking i vowed to go back on Saturday.

Not only was i hugely rewarded by the quantity and
sweetness of the wild fruit, but i was greeted by many
shimmering dragonflies, damselflies and an assortment
of small birds. There was a light breeze which made
gathering comfortable, as the sun blazed down on my
hatless head. I was the only person in the little park, and
i felt so calm and content. As allways seems to be the case,
there were some berries beyond my reach, big ripe plump
ones that i really really wanted. As i reached through the
rails on the bridge spanning the small creek, i knew that i
had to draw back as i was risking tumbling into the sharp
brambles. The thought of me lying helpless, trapped in
the viscious thorns, made me laugh; i though of myself
crying out for help, life a pathetic troll, the late afternoon
strollers looking about, wondering from whence came the
catawalling. Sigh....i chuckle to myself now at the memory!

As i rounded the south bend of the Bog and headed for the
east side, i heard a tap tap tap tap.....tap tap...tap tap tap - well
kind of a sound that is between a tap and a knock, being not one
or the other...and i knew it could not be the workmen who are
building a complex of townhouses nearby. A WOODPECKER!!
Could it be? Excitement making my heart beat a bit faster, i
looked towards the trees straining my eyes to find it....it took me
awhile, so well camoflarlged she was. I'm sure it was a female
as i could see no colouration on this tiny bird. I stood transfixed
as she tapped away, marvelling at her tenacity and ability to
so diligently work at her task of gathering food, oblivious of my
own gathering of sweet fruit. Finally i had to move towards
home, as was becoming dizzy from the sun beating down on me.


But, filled with renewed energy and joy, i headed home, excited
about my project, knowing that the fruit i had collected
would yield only a small amount of jam. I was right, after
adding sugar, and a small amount of apple for some natural
pectin, the result was a 2 cup mason jar of slightly runny
fruit preserve. The next morning i decided to take a small taste
to "Angeldust", which is what you see in the above photo.


see also "Some of Life's Simple Pleasures" posted on August 2nd.

15 comments:

alan said...

At about 7 or 8 my grandmother gave me some blackberries, and I loved them. When I went out in her yard, I saw something that to me looked just like them, and spent all afternoon eating them...

They were mulberries!

Everyone expected me to get sick, but I didn't...I don't know if I was lucky or what!

Would love to go berry picking in our next lifetime!

alan

Jean-Luc Picard said...

That was a great result from your walk!

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

PJ, a marvelous visit it was... and a tasty little "gem" it turned out to be...

Thank you!
L&B's
-.a.-

Tai said...

Oh, that's sounds like a great day...good for you!

jumpinginpuddles said...

blackberry hunting is sooo much fun we also go garlic hunting and thats fun also, wow wish we had been with you, too good to miss but alas we did. Thanks for the very descriptive journey felt like i was on it with you:)

Jo said...

There's nothing better than wild blackberry jam, except perhaps wild blackberry pie, with heaps of ice cream... :-)

dragonflyfilly said...

hi alan; uh oh! mulberries...i did not realize that they make people ill. oh, but you know what you reminded me of that i now crave? -- goseberries! yum!

hey Capitano; do you mind if i call you that? yep, sure was a great result, and as i said, i took "angeldust" a small jar, about enough for about 4 slices of toast, and then she gave me a jar of her jam (i forgot which kind), but it was about 3 times the size of the jar i gave HER - so i was more than doubly rewarded!

hi "angeldust; YOUR jam was extremely delicious too, but i forgot what kind it is?????

hi tai; thanks for stopping by, been awhile. Yep, - it was a WONDERFUL day, i felt so peaceful and centered and blessed - i have not felt like that for a long time!

hey JIP; how are you doing? wow, garlic hunting, now that is interesting, i did not know that garlic grew wild....does it grow on a bush, or is it a root or what?

hi josie yes indeed! -- in my Aug.2nd post i think i wrote about my first blackberry picking venture - that time i just got a handful -- washed them and ate them fresh with some skim milk that i whip up stiff like whipping cream, oh and i added a teaspoon of Soho liquere, hmmmmmmm, nearly as good as ice-cream (which i am allergic to anyhow, so seldom eat it!)....

alan said...

I'm not sure if they make you sick or not; it could be they were afraid the volume would make me sick, as I had eaten everything in reacn and it took all afternoon...

:o)

alan

Belizegial said...

This brings back memories of picking sea grapes when I was a mere girl.

PJ, continue to enjoy them sweet pickin's of summer.

Cheers,
Enid

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

Dear PJ
jam was made with "organic" blueberries hand picked by moi - pics and narrative of outing posted on that date... go take a peek... it was a lovely expereince in the Langley contryside.

joy to you
-.a.-

dragonflyfilly said...

alan; ahhhh!

hey there enid been too long, how's things? but tell me about sea grapes -- is that what we know as tapioca?

huh? "angeldust" which date? there is nothing written on the jar, if that is what you mean.

puhpaul said...

There is nothing like fresh blackberries and raspberries. While visiting family last week my sister and I took the dogs for a walk down her favourite back alleys collecting raspberries from branches that stuck through fences.

paul

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

"ALL" about the blueberries on July 10 posting "The Blueberries"
just bellow "man are from Mars, Women are from Venus"

But... have noticed that my very good blogger friend/soul mate is going to the foot of the Everest?

Joy to ya
-.a.-

dragonflyfilly said...

hi Paul thanks for stopping by; wow, it is nice to know that there is still lots of "wild" fruit around, and people who like to gather it!


o.k. angeldust"; gotcha, ref. your soul mate, no i did not notice, and on second and third reading still could not see what you are referring to, a bit oblique for me. chat soon,

Meow (aka Connie) said...

Mmmm, blackbery jam ... how lucky you are. I bet it tastes wonderful.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Take care, Meow