The delights of summer

Delicate Flower's Auntie came to visit and showed her an easy way to make some unbelievably wonderful strawberry jam. When Auntie left, she and I made a big batch of raspberry (my personal favorite.) About a week ago, at a yard sale, I ran into the friend who job-shares with me. She had dark purple hands so, of course, I knew where she'd been spending her spare time. She told me she and a friend had found a huge, beautiful site of blackberries ready to be picked. Naturally, I invited myself along this morning. Unbelievable! A huge patch where people had actually cut a road into and you could drive down, pick them at waist height, (a berry picker's dream,) and drive back out again! I picked half of a huge bucket and tonight there was blackberry jam on the stove and berries on trays in the freezer.

In other garden news, I have been branched out from flowers to veggies. This year we grew peas, green beans and cukes for the first time. It boggles the mind how healthy-ly we've been eating!!
We have tomatoes coming some time soon, and pumpkins that just may present themselves in time for Halloween--or at least Thanksgiving if it doesn't snow.
--I know this post sounds kinda Little House on the Prairie-ish, but, can I just go on the record as saying summer in the Pacific Northwest is a very good thing?!