This past weekend had two themes: rain and raspberries. Saturday was non-stop rain all day. Not just a little drizzle, but steady, dark sky, cold rain. It was only 62 F in the afternoon, which is very abnormal for the end of June. How are my raspberries supposed to ripen in that kind of weather?! I don't know how, but they are.
I am absolutely in love with my red raspberries. As I have stated before, I am not a good gardener. I have too many dogs and too many garden foes. However, I lucked out this year and can say that I can grow raspberries. And good sized ones too! Not that I can really take any credit for them. All I did was severely clear out the patch back in April and hope that I wasn't totally killing them. Apparently it was the right thing to do, because they came back bigger and more bountiful than last year. So what did we do on this waterlogged weekend?
We ate raspberries of course! A Berry Cream Tart, Raspberry Cream Scones, and Chocolate Brownies made with cream and swirled with a red raspberry sauce. Are you sensing a theme? (I figure that since the berries have no fat and the raw cream has good fats, it all balances out.)
I also was a maniac knitter, feverishly working to complete a sweater for the little babe. It is the first full length sleeve project that I've made and I was just in one of those moods to Get It Done! And since I wasn't going to do yard work in the rain, I had plenty of knitting time. However, on Saturday afternoon, when the rain had slowed to (only) a steady drizzle, I did venture outside to pick my beloved berries before they molded. The ducks were looking a bit lonely, so I let them out for some grass time while I picked. I had to smile at myself and think how silly I must have looked. Standing in my suburban backyard on a dreary wet afternoon, hood up, picking raspberries while talking to my ducks. And guess who also likes raspberries?
I am thankful for all of the above: rain to help the garden grow, good food, and the simple joy of picking berries accompanied by the gentle murmuring of happy ducks.
What are you thankful for today?