I’m scrolling through photos from today’s outing with the kiddos and smiling so widely. One of my very favorite built in benefits of living where we do is the bounty of blueberries waiting to be collected every July/August. I look forward to going picking every year, and today’s time in the field was just as sweet as can be. We went with friends, and the older kids wandered down the long aisle of bushes, laughing and giggling and eating up equally as many berries as they picked. Eloise ran back and forth between us time and again, joyfully showing me her growing collection and dropping extra berries into my bucket along the way. For two straight hours, we all enjoyed the remote peacefulness that a blueberry farm can offer on a hot summer morning.

It’s been fairly sweltering here these past few days, so when the cool breeze blew in off of the lake ahead of an unexpected thunderstorm, we were all in heaven. We headed in to weigh our loot after the first thunder clap, and we made it under the storefront awning just as the first drops hit the ground. Then we gave into the temptation for blueberry donuts as the only obvious way to wait out the storm inside. 😉

Furrowing clouds before the storm.

All five kiddos were truly delightful, and delighted to be together enjoying such a sweetly seasoned morning. I couldn’t have been happier with two hours of adult conversation, ten pounds of blueberries to tote home and the thought of returning soon for more.

Sometimes summer just steps up to bat and hits one out of the park. Today’s outing was definitely good for our souls, and mine especially. No arguing. No banter. No debating who had what toy/book/place on the couch first. No whining at all. Just “Look at this big blueberry!” and “Oh, yum!” and “Can we come here again?!”

As I type, I’m enjoying a massive handful of freshly picked berries atop my current favorite granola and contemplating the blueberry crisp and the blueberry zucchini cake that will surely need to find their way into our weekend. Those, and scoop by scoop of sweet summer goodness to add to salads, yogurt, cereal, ice cream, and anything else we can dream up, until we’ve run out and just *have* to go back for more.

Things that start with “b.”

blueberries for president, I’d say. or at least for dessert. 😉

mm