Blackberry picking

I hate to admit it, but now that we're into the 20s, there's no denying it any longer. It's late August now, and summer will soon be drawing to a close. The great thing about that though is that it's now blackberry season! So, yesterday morning the boys and I headed for the lake, where blackberries grow in abundance.

Don't you love the boardwalk that crosses one corner of the lake? Makes me feel like we are off on an adventure!

Before he was going to help pick blackberries, Dylan insisted we go to the little beach with our sticks to do some "fishing"...

Glen Lake in the morning.

The boys "fishing".

You'd think he'd actually caught something he was so excited!

Rock-climbing is also preferable to rummaging through the prickly bushes in search of the plumpest blackberries.

In the end, after a stop to have snacks, some fishing, some rock-climbing and running on the trail, we filled our bowl with lovely, juicy blackberries and headed home (okay, we ate a few of them, too!) Today, we're making an apple/blackberry crumble (it was too hot yesterday to turn on the oven!) to eat with freshly whipped cream. Doesn't that sound like the best dessert ever?

E

PS: I'll be going back to pick more berries, sans enfants, soon. I'd like to freeze some to enjoy this winter, and maybe even try my hand at making some blackberry jam. Yes, yes, I am a domestic goddess...