Could This Day Get Any Better?

   

   

     Some days are just beautiful days! Today has been one of those.  Living in West Tennessee does have some great advantages. You can not drive very far without seeing fields full of crops.  There are constantly conversations about how the corn is looking or how the cotton blooms are coming out.  We do not own farm land, but we talk like we do.

     We went to a pick-your-own farm today and had a blast.  Mary Taylor and I took Elizabeth Jane and cousin Pate for our, first ever, blueberry picking experience.  We had to walk on a field row to get back to the berries.  We passed a broccoli field (I didn't even know broccoli grew here) that was amazing to see.  And we passed a field that was empty of crops but was full of wildflowers.  I wish that I could have captured the beauty in a picture but none would do it justice.  As well as beautiful flowers, the field was full of all kinds of breath taking butterflies!  If having a respite from the heat and an overcast sky were not enough, God held off the coming rain and blessed us with a feast for our eyes.  I could have stopped right there and stayed for the rest of the day.  But we pressed on.

     The little ones running down the dirt path surrounded by butterflies and old barns seemed almost to sweet for words.  And then we saw the blueberry bushes laden with ripe berries.  We had been told by the farmer we were at the end of the season so I did not have high expectations.  I was going to be glad to get a quart and appreciate the experience.  But in every direction there were bushes from which to pick.  The children ran from bush to bush grabbing berries and were as excited as if they were picking candy.

     While we were there the farmer's wife drove up.  Minus her car,  it felt like Little House on the Prairie.  I could not remember the berry price the farmer had quoted us over the phone and asked her again how much the berries were.  She looked tired and was wanting a rest and told us that two dollars a quart would be plenty since it was the end of the season.  Then with a little glimmer in her eye she said, "But you know they are sweeter now that anytime of the year."  I asked her if she wanted me to bring the money to her before we left and she told us to just leave the money in the basket by the barn. (You have to love West Tennessee)  She headed off to her beautiful old log cabin that I was secretly wishing was mine.  I was blown away.  Could this day get any better.  We were going to get twice as many berries for half what we would pay and have fun getting them.

    We picked and picked and picked berries.  Even little Pate did not loose heart.  We ended up with more berries than we really needed and several mosquito bites that we did not have before.  However, the morning we had was definitely one that will not quickly be forgotten.  As I was finishing, I was reminded of one of our favorite books that Elizabeth Jane has not heard yet,  Blueberries for Sal by Robert McKloskey.  I began to tell them about Sal going blueberry picking with her mom.  All of a sudden I had one of those lightbulb moments.  Don't you love those!  I set the book up.  I told them how Sal met an unexpected visitor that day...but I didn't tell them who.  Their eyes got big and their minds began turning.  It's going to be so fun tonight to snuggle up in bed and read the book again.  It will be like introducing her to an old friend for the first time.  I can not wait to see her surprise when she finds out who that unexpected visitor turns out to be.

      I have a feeling that this is the kind experience that keeps on giving.  Mary Taylor already has chosen new recipes to try.  Blueberry scones. And there is talk about wether or not we could make blueberry cobbler.  Taylor and Brady like blueberry muffins, so on Saturday I may try some from scratch. That's a little bit scary, but who cares!  We are going to ride this one all the way out.  I may even hide some in a ziplock, in the back of the freezer, to pull out one cold winter day. That may be the perfect time to try another batch of hot muffins or scones. Who knows, we may make some hot chocolate too. But one thing I know for sure...we will smile about today when we do.