Blackberry Moment

Cherry

By skinner_jennifer

Tue, 27 Jun 2023
  • 1363 reads
17 comments
 

Dear diary...

Recalling foraging along the

woodland trail; where clearly

on backdrop of diverse leaves,

blackberries thread on limp

hanging branches; displaying

their juicy ripeness, brief mouth

watering gratification fulfilled

in swell – that bursts of fruit.

 

Good old-fashioned memories

of home-made jam, stirring;

bubbling in the pan. Oh! How

we laughed at the spills, filling

containers with sweet sticky

sweetness.

 

We weren't busy like the bees,

just had that gratification and

desire...presenting jars as

festive gifts to loved ones,

relinquished with delight

from the brier.

 

Photos My Own.

Certificate U
Poem
Dear Diary
Nature
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)
Journal
Autobiography

Comments

Submitted by marandina on

Nicely done, Jenny. A tale of Jam from another enjoyable reverie. Enjoyed, of course :)

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Paul,

through forest and woodland aswell as along country lanes, I've had many a blackberry forage. It's so kind of you to read and let me know you enjoyed.

Many thanks.

Jenny. smiley 

 

Submitted by celticman on

Bucketing here, Jenny. I spotted some rasberries this morning, Jenny. Can't really remember making jam. But I remember someone else's homemade. I also can't remember if blackberrie and rasberries are much the same, like brother and sister. Or is it sister and sister.?

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Jack,

it sounds like you're having that monsoon weather, we could do with some ourselves, it's been so dry here and the grass is so brown.

I'm not sure if the blackberries and rasberries are from the same family, but the rasberries are more of a pinky red colour, where as blackberries definitely give you a red and black stain on your skin and clothes, but they're so yummy to consume, especially straight off the branches as you pick.

Thanks for reading and your thoughts.

Jenny. smiley

 

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

A wonderful tribute to our native and very vigorous growing blackberry. I have so many memories of picking and also finding a little white grub inside after biting the top off. The grubs just disappear in the jamming process. Good old-fashioned memories as you say, and it's all free.

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Jane,

you know we always used to make blackberry jam and give jars away as gifts at Christmas, the children always appreciated their own special jar, sadly those days have gone, but the memory still lingers of smiling faces.

Isn't nature so wonderful. 

Appreciate you stopping by to read and let me know your thoughts.

Jenny. smiley

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

I have memories of my mother straining cooked blackberries through muslin tied to the feet of an upside down stool, to mke blackberry jelly-jam . I've never made either,but love freezing stewed blackberries for winter crumbles!

When you mentioned the blackberries thread on limp hanging branches I picrured in my mind some of the limp threads of poisonous berries, but the look of blackberries is so distinctive as a fruit isn't it? Rhiannon

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Rhiannon,

what a great idea your mum had for straining the cooked blackberries...the old ways are the best. Black berries can be turned into so many things. When my son was young I used to make pies and crumbles too, it's sad that those days are over. Now it's just me and my partner we don't really eat pies...too fattening. 

Like you say, you can't really miss the blackberries, they do stand out on their own. Many thanks for reading and your thoughts.

Jenny. smiley

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

This is wonderful Jenny - and I can see you've evoked happy memories for more than one person.

My raspberries have completely disappeared this year, but the blackberries are coming along very well. Maybe I'll make some jam with them in your honour. I seem to remember there was a lot of stirring involved in my one and only previous attempt

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi insert,

I couldn't help but be moved to write about the blackberry jam when I saw the I P this week. It evoked so many memories of those juicy fruits.

That's great that you have all those fruits to hand from your garden. My partner's a dab hand at growing strawberries and we have them each day in smoothies for breakfast...so yummy.

I hope if you do have a go at making jam, you have every success. Oh yes! There is a lot of stirring involved. 

Many thanks for stopping by to read and share your own thoughts.

Jenny. smiley

 

Submitted by Sooz006 on

I've never made  jam--but as a child I once made rose water perfume--well, I stuck some rose petals in a jar of water and left them for a half term away at school--they were rancid. I also made milk ice lolly's (in the seventies, lots of power cuts) and did the same, went off to school for a half term before returning to my foster parents.I'd looked forward to those lolly's for weeks ... oh my goodness, the milk had gone sour at some point in the freezing process. 

Thank you for the childhood memories that make me smile in retrospect, Jenny.  Not quite the happy jam making memories, but close enough. 

The poem is beautiful. I always loved the  gentleness and power of your writing. 

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Sooz,

It's kind of you to stop by and read. Oh dear! It sounds like the rose water perfume was a bit of a disaster, but at least you had a go. I also recall the power cuts of the 1970s...what a shame you never got to enjoy those milk ice lollys.

Your comment put a huge smile on my face, especially that bit at the end...what a lovely thing to say. Thank you so much.

Jenny. smiley

 

 

Submitted by Turlough on

We were always more of a pie sort of family. The myriad of blackberries that we picked as kids from the railway embankment near my Nan's house could be more quickly consumed in that format, with a tin of Carnation Milk in true 1960s style.

I love your poem. It stirred memories if not jam. It's nice to see you using your own photographs too.

Turlough

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Turlough,

whether it be jam or pies, it was always fun to get out in the fresh air and nature and pick those juicy fruits, seeing who could pick the most. I'm so happy I could stir your own childhood memories. The photo was taken last year on one of our woodland trail rambles, I'm glad you liked.

Thank you for stopping by to read and leave a comment Turlough.

Jenny. smiley

 

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Editors,

I'm over the moon with the cherries.

Thank you so much.

Jenny. smiley

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

I prefer strawberries to blackberries when eating is concerned, Jenny, but I am a glutton for any fruit jam, especially homemade. When it comes to writing, we all like cherries and yours, here, are well deserved.

Luigi xx  

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hello there Luigi,

It's lovely to hear from you. I just love strawberries too, infact I don't think there's a fruit I don't like. I used to make homemade jam, but now I don't tend to indulge in too many sugary or fatty foods...I expect you understand that as we get older we have to be so careful about what we eat.

Yes you're so right, cherries are really cherished and always great to see.

Thank you for your kind words.

Jenny.xx smiley