I think this may be my first ever blackberry photo and it's not quite right but I've picked them now so I can't go and redo it. I tend to associate them with autumn but in fact as we all know you have to pick them before the end of September and leave the rest for the witches. In fact, apparently you're supposed to leave the first ones for the fairies (I didn't know that part) but I have tested these and they are nice and sweet so maybe the 'sour spell' was broken by our resident fairy (Nigel) who tried them last week and reported them to be a bit eye-watering. These particular ones are in our garden and I have high hopes that this year they will provide enough fruit to make a few jars of bramble jelly. I have a 'Wild Garden' book which advises very strongly against planting brambles in your garden - and with good reason they are a right menace. Quite often Nigel decides to hack them back just when I'm eyeing up the berries but this year he has left a good patch as compensation for having to do battle with them the rest of the year.
Three good things:
1. A long list of jobs done.
2. Cadbury's Oreo chocolate (an unexpected bonus of it being bought by an American company).
3. Our very excellent optician.
This photo looks as right as rain to me. In fact, I think it's excellent! Loved reading all of the blackberry folklore. Makes me want to plant brambles in order to attract fairies...or witches...either would be fun. :)
Shines and luscious. Every year (apart from last year when they were pants) I pick blackberries until my fingers are sore and stained. I make jam but many people don't,like it because the seeds get into your teeth and cannot be removed! I love it, bramble jam and scones is definitely worth the seed impaction. This shot is wonderful, like something out of Bramley Hedge
@lucypics I invested in a rather lovely steel funnel with sieve thing from Lakeland and my jam is seedless and delicious - I love that funnel and will try a photo this year!
I didn't know about the fairies and witches bit. It's amazing what you learn from 365! Nice capture and the blackberries seem to be in abundance this year!
Oh Judith I must get out more & pick some of these luscious blackberries. We used to pick bucket loads at the other farm, some here too but now it's not our hedge so will have to ask first. Just about the only thing free now a days!
Are Orio choc biscuits good....I never just fancy them?
This is a lovely, luscious shot. I was eyeing up the blackberries for a shot when walking this morning but they weren't anywhere near as advanced as yours.
Lovely and luscious!!! Thank you for posting....before you ate them, of course! :-) I have been trying to grow them here in Southern California, but I am afraid they are not getting as much water as they should....these look amazing!
A great juicy shot and loved the narrative. Not sure when to pick ours now for fear of upsetting someone or something. However, Jules tells me she has already had a taster so at least I can't be labelled in the same way as poor Nigel! Will look out the funnel/sieve in Lakeland :)
Nice shot..even blackberries are ripe up north...i took a piccy myself being quite shocked to see them so early...next year i will expect them in July...
A-level results out this thursday the whole house is gasping..i feel as if i have taken them myself..thank god am almost a OAP....lol...
That sounds delicious! Do you chop up the chocolate around them or what? Make good pies as well though I just munch them off the vines. We have Himalayan blackberries here...an invasive species but boy are they big and juicy. Nice sharp shot too
@tsingtao Oh tell me about it - we have the first 4 GCSE results on Thursday (they are iGCSEs and come out early) and I have a permanent knot in my stomach - Adam has persuaded himself and every body else that they were a disaster! Two more years of this!!
@jgpittenger Round the Oreos? No - bought a bar all ready made! I will freeze a load of blackberries ready for when the cooking apples are ripe and make apple and blackberry pie. I also have a gorgeous muesli type bar recipe that uses them but there are a million calories in them!
fabulous blackberries judith...they do indeed look delicious...we always go blackberrying every year...we were eyeing some up at the weekend but they are not quite right yet in Notts
It's a stunning shot, the shine on the berries is brilliant and the way they almost jump out of the picture. I agree that August seems way too early though. I don't have any in the garden but have some on the allotment. I'm told that cultivated blackberries are worth a try.
I love good berries but haven't got a place to pick them, so resort to buying frozen, which are quite nice in yogurt, but not the same as fresh. My Dalmatian used to pull back her lips and pick berries with me, but she never shared!
Our garden was entirely laid to brambles, nettles, dandelions etc. when we first moved here but we still have a few to pick from although we have a nearby field that we tend to utilise. Gorgeous shot although a little too autumnal just yet! xx
quite beautiful as well as tasty shot judith. lovely indeed, and wonderful that you are attempting to make a few jars of jam. hadn't heard the folks tale about them! funny. blackberry is my absolute favorite flavor.
I love the sheen on these fruits. They're much further on than the ones in the shot I posted yesterday, though perhaps that's because they're a cultivated variety.
Make the sorbet! (The word round our way was that the devil spat on them on 1 October. Weird, because I lived in 1980s suburbia, not the middle ages...)
Are Orio choc biscuits good....I never just fancy them?
A-level results out this thursday the whole house is gasping..i feel as if i have taken them myself..thank god am almost a OAP....lol...