Bramble foraging

Yet another dull day. I spent some time this morning playing with my newly acquired extending pole saw, taking off some of the thin lower branches from the trees hanging over my garden slope. I hope this will give me a little more light without affecting the shelter. A handy gadget.

The forecast was for rain later, so I postponed lunch and walked down to my favourite bramble patch, along from the old Rockfield school. I picked four and a half pounds there a week ago, taking all the ripe ones, but I still managed another seven and a half pounds today! My Blip shows the bramble 'hedge' on the right, with Rockfield in the background and McCaig's Tower on the horizon.

Mrs M has been making the first batch of bramble and apple jelly today, so we'll see how many jars that makes. Maybe I've picked enough, though there will be many more pounds still to be picked. Maybe I can pick more and donate them to Hope Kitchen.

Quote of the Day: 'Blackberries clustered against the sky, heavy and dark as thunder, which we plucked and gobbled, hour after hour, hands stained to the wrists.' - Laurie Lee.