Baby Thornless Blackberry Bush

Word of the Day

Tentaculating - The act of waving one's arms about and talking complete nonsense.

It's going to be hot and HUMID today. I'm already gathering the things that I need to bring over to my folks' place today when I go over there. We're going to be driving into the city today for my Mom's appointment with her eye doctor. After we get back, I need to be prepared for berry picking. Despite the heat and humidity, I'm wearing long jeans. Real jeans. You can't go out picking blackberries without the armor of real, honest to goodness, jeans....or maybe chaps. The spines on those bushes are vicious. So are the mosquitoes. I've also got an old long sleeve denim shirt set on the pile of things to bring with me to protect me from spines and mosquitoes. Of course, a hat is necessary as well. The berry bushes normally grab hold of my hat several times while berry picking but there's no way I go out berry picking without my hat to protect me from the deerflies which tend to circle around my head when I'm outside....especially when it's hot and humid outside. Last, but not least, I'll bring along some heavy duty mosquito spray.

With all the rain we've been getting, I expect a whole new hatch of mosquitoes to join the clouds of the mosquitoes that are already out there. I do remember years that the mosquitoes have been just as bad but I can say truthfully that I haven't seen them this bad since I was a kid and I've never seen the really tiny mosquitoes that I'm seeing out there this year. Clouds of tiny mosquitoes, joining up with the bigger mosquitoes that we're used to seeing. Where did they come from? I don't react from the bites from the bigger mosquitoes anymore...though I'm not to fond of sitting still while anything bites me, but, these tiny mosquitoes are making me welt up and itch. These new mosquitoes seem to be more resistant to mosquito spray as well. Not good.

Mosquitoes, blackberry thorns, deerflies, heat and humidity....all reasons why I'm really not looking forward to getting out there to pick blackberries today. There is a reason why I planted some thornless blackberry bushes by my driveway this spring. Too bad that they're just baby bushes right now and unlikely to produce for at least a couple more years....if the deer don't eat them. Oh well...something to look forward to. Until then, it's been several years since we've had any blackberries worth picking. The last time I had enough berries to can in order to make blackberry wine was 2004. One can never take the gifts from Mother Nature for granted. So, I'll go out and pick while the picking is good. I've been wanting to make a batch of blackberry wine. There haven't been enough blackberries out in the woods...not even enough to make jam. Finally, we've got a really good year for blackberries. Lots of berries. So, I'll get out there to pick on my folks' side of The Lake today and then come back here to pick the berries on my side of The Lake. If I get enough berries, I can juice them, can the juice, and bring that canned juice back to Arizona with me so I can make BlackBearry Wine.

Tonight will be a perfect night for cleaning and steam-juicing blackberries. Big Bang Theory is on tonight and Ancient Aliens.

Random Thought of the Day

What does PU stand for (as in "PU, that stinks!")?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

If you have the creative urge, it isn't going to go away. But sometimes it takes a while before you accept the fact.

- Hugh Macleod