After yesterday’s worrying about the inside of the cabin and fun trip to Hazard, I decided to spend a bit more time outdoors with the girls. We waited until late afternoon for things to cool off a bit, and then went blackberry picking. We just came out of an odd patch of weather that I’m thinking was a blackberry winter of sorts. It didn’t get above the 70s for about a week, and we didn’t have to use the window unit air conditioners. I thought that might be a sign that we would find some ripe blackberries.
These aren’t quite ripe, but we did find a handful after braving the snakey areas of the creek. I’ll have to freeze them as we pick them. I’m aiming to get enough to make blackberry dumplings, or something good.
Deladis was all about carrying that basket of berries.
We got back to the cabin and I watered the garden some. The water loving plants are getting a little wilty, though we are getting mass amounts of goodness from them. We have no water hose or efficient way of watering things, so I joyfully carried a five gallon bucket back and forth from the garden to the outside spicket twenty times over. (I really was joyful. 🙂 )
Ivy has taken off verbally and physically these last few weeks. She slides by herself, goes down the back porch steps, and is attempting to say many more things. Her favorite combo is “Where we going?” as she is walking through the yard toward the dirt road that leads us out of here. This evening I asked her where she was going, and she was clear that she was off to the sand.
Don’t even think for one minute that you are cut out for the country if you can’t walk barefooted across the gravel. John’s aunt Danita used to tell him that all the time. She’s probably laughing a smooth, thick laughter in her perfect place in heaven right now, proud of her little country girl.
Then, cool those tootsies off in the evening sand.
They do have a sandbox filled with store bought sand, but does that matter? Absolutely, not! Who needs toys when there’s a world to explore?
A Mountain Mama - East Kentucky Gal 
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July 11, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Annie
Your little girls are adorable. Did you say, “Blackberry Dumplings?” My Grandmother used to make Blackberry Dumplings. She is the only one I ever knew who did. I tried to reinvent her recipe, it’s good, but not as good as hers. Blessings, Annie
July 12, 2009 at 4:42 am
Leesie
Your girls are adorable!
That’s what I remember from my childhood growing up in New Jersey – being outside and playing – and in our case picking what seemed like bushels of mulberries off one neighbor’s tree. Our other neighbor had a plum tree, a Bosc pear tree (I know there were others but I can’t recall), and even grapes growing over the patio sitting area and oh how much fun we had helping ourselves ;o)
Your girls are growing up in a different world than what most kids are today and that’s a very good thing!