Picking Blackberries

Bryan and I took the kids to Fort Steilacoom Park to pick blackberries last Monday night. Blackberry plants grow like weeds here, and most people get rid of them before they take over their yard. The park, however, lets them grow like crazy! And because Bryan wore his super-tough work overalls, he was able to get into the places most people can't, which meant more big blackberries for us! It was fun to do, and the boys got their fill of fresh organic fruit. While Bryan wins the prize for picking the most blackberries, we had fun looking for sticks in the "forest" and keeping the kids away from the water (right Stina?). We hope to make freezer jam out of the berries, and they are frozen right now in our freezer. But it's so nice to have the bushes where they are - whenever we walk around the lake at the park the bushes give Rix and Bryce something to do. And have you seen how much blackberries cost at the store?? They are free for us! You just have to put in a little work and pain (the barbs really hurt!).Bryan in the middle of a blackberry bush. He was like a man on a mission!

Rix and Bryce gave up on picking berries and felt it was more important to find long sticks in the "forest".

See our big bowl! It was like six pounds of berries! And don't be fooled by the picture - Cole doesn't like the berries. We gave him one and you'd think we poisened him. He gagged like crazy!

From the "forest" to the "grasslands". While taking the picture with me and Cole, the boys ran and hid in the tall grass. We couldn't find them! It was lots of fun for them.

Cole is a ham! He loves attention and will smile at anyone who looks his way.