Lessons Learned While Berry Picking


It’s been a couple of weeks since I check on the wild blackberry bushes that are spread all over the property. The last time I looked, they were almost all green, meaning the flowers had just fallen off and they were waiting to soak up the rain and sunshine. This morning, they were almost all red! They’re coming right along.


I noticed several other things while I was out walking the property, and hopefully they’ll be as much of a blessing to you as they were to me. First, if I’m only looking for berries, I miss out on the other plants and colors spread all around. I have to keep my eyes up and open for other beautiful things, too.


The one thing that’s different always stands out. In a sea full of red berries, the black ones look like flashing neon signs. So if you are something special, or do something different, you’re going to stand out in the crowd.


There’s often snags in your plan, a hitch in your giddy-up and a beaver slide in the middle of the trail. You can’t control them or prevent them, but you can deal with them as soon as you see them.


Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it’s so much fun for humans! Like, why are there two evergreen trees randomly in the middle of the property? Were they someone’s Christmas trees years ago? Did they migrate in with some bird? Are we the target of evergreen tree pranksters? Inquiring minds want to know!


At the end of the day’s picking, I ended up with three cups of blackberries, the biggest ones coming from the top of the ridge. Over the next few days I’ll show you my plans for them. I can’t wait! And I’ll be able to go back out in a couple of days to see how many more berries are ready for picking.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Recovering An Old Card Table And Making It Usable Again

Image
This card table recover project has been on my to-do list for months. I've been using it as my workspace in the craft room for quite some time, and it sees a lot of abuse. Here it is now, with a neutral cover on it so I can take better pictures for my tutorials. There were dents and dings in the old blue covering from metal tools. And yes, I've used my embossing heat tool on it several times, leaving pretty good scars. The padding underneath the blue cover also made it difficult to keep paper crafts flat when adhering them together, so it was time for something new. That's where a simple vinyl tablecloth comes in handy. The process to recover the table is pretty simple, but I learned a couple of lessons the hard way. I share them with you now. First, don't do this on any surface but a carpet. I tried it on the deck int he sunshine to get better pictures, but all it did was tear up the cover. Second, get a second pair of hands to help you kee
Read more

Simple DIY Beaded Keychains

Image
We're having so much fun putting together goodie bags and door prizes for our upcoming ladies retreat at the church. So many of our ladies have donated craft supplies, decorations, time and energy to treat our visitors to an amazing time. These keychains are just one of the gifts some of the attendees will find in their bags. All you need to make them are a variety of beads, some fairly thin yet sturdy cord and a jump ring. Cut a length of cord, fold it in half and string it through the jump ring. String matching beads on both sides. And tie it off with a double knot. So simple, yet so pretty. Here's another variation: Cut a length of cord, fold it in half and thread it through a jump ring. Tie one or two beads on one side and tie it off with a knot. Make the other side longer with additional letters and beads before tying it off. Make a variety of lengths, colors, patterns and phrases so no two are alike.
Read more

Debilitating Disappontment

The things of this life tend to disappoint us. People aren't who we'd like them to be, events we'd hoped for never occur and things we'd expected to happen in a certain way never come to pass. I've tried relying on everything else in this life - relationships, career, better finances. When we look to mankind for answers or for hope, we will surely be disappointed. Our own misconceptions of life's circumstances leads us down a long, dreary path. What we plan and see inside our head doesn't always match what others see, or what may actually be reality. Looking into ourselves for "clarity" directs us straight to depression and failure. Have you ever heard yourself say, "I couldn't care less" and truly meant it? Having confidence in our own power to change our outlook means that we care more about the circumstances themselves rather than how to grow as Christian women. God is the only unchanging factor in our uncertain world. Focusing on
Read more