Busy Berry Pickers

Hello,

We have been going out every other day to gather as many black raspberries as we can. Most of them are going in the freezer which is getting rather full. Before the fall harvest of leaves, you know kale, etc., starts we will have to create room. The berries are getting close to the end of the picking possibilities. We will be both glad and sad. Glad because the arduous work will be over and sad because no more fresh berries. It is a bit daunting to go out in the extreme heat wearing socks, shoes, jeans, long sleeved shirts and hats. I can tell you there is a bit of sweat happening. If possible we go in the early morning. I am so grateful when we get home to air conditioned comfort. Then I wonder, “Would we tolerate the heat better if we had to live in it more?”

We shared some red Russian Kale with one of our neighbors. He looks oriental and speaks with a strong accent. I would like to know where he is from, but hesitate to ask in case he grew up in the USA. Anyway he showed us how well the kale is doing. Next to the kale was a tall herb. He offered some to us. At my ok he gave us plenty. He said, “For soup.” As nearly as I could tell he was saying the leaves went in the soup and the flowers were used as garnish.

I put it in a soup/stew dish and we liked it. Leroy put some in his salad and declared, “It is like cilantro on steroids.”

I forgot to bring my phone home from work. Even though I do not use it very much, I feel its absence. Maybe I use it more than I think I do. How did I drive without a phone? What if I needed to contact someone?

Paula