My mother was a farm wife and a prodigious canner. She canned fruit and vegetables from the garden, even occasionally meat. But the best thing that she canned, in my opinion, was blackberry jam. Even as I type those words my mouth waters! Of course, before she could make that jam, somebody had to pick the blackberries. And that somebody was quite often named Dorothy. I think Seamus Heaney might have spent some time among the briars plucking those delicious black fruits as well, so he would have known that "Once off the bush the fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour." They don't keep; you have to get that jam made in a hurry! Blackberry-Picking by Seamus Heaney Late August, given heavy rain and sun For a full week, the blackberries would ripen. At first, just one, a glossy purple clot Among others, red, green, hard as a knot. You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet Like thickened wine: summer's blood was in it Leaving stains upon the tongue and lust ...
We are still months away from daffodils. But I saw pansies in Virginia last week. Thank you for another glimpse of spring.
ReplyDeletePansies are among my winter favorites. I have a big pot of bright yellow ones just by my back porch and they cheer me every time I see them.
DeleteNo flowers for North Idaho. I don't expect anything until end of the month and that will be up next to house.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on
The ones in protected places are always the first to show their heads. Meantime, enjoy your hot coffee and dream about spring!
DeleteHow beautiful! Like Alana said, we are months away from daffodils. It's good that you already have them.
ReplyDeleteThey are spring's promise of things to come.
DeleteNothing yet here. Usually my red azalea is blooming by now but it has been a little too cold. But soon!
ReplyDeleteMy azalea has just opened its first blooms at the bottom of the plant. It'll take a few days for the blooming to reach all the way to the top.
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