Solstice BLUEBERRIES!

Oh yes, I look forward to it every year, the U-Pick Blueberry Farm in Honeydew (upriver a ways) has opened for the season, Saturdays, all day. Drew and Ella and I were the first customers of the year! It was a hot, overcast day after nighttime lightening storms, and we arrived with a large pot and little yogurt containers with strings for picking. And pick we did, 12 pounds of the lovely blue globes, while eating probably 2 more on the side while we worked. Ella enjoyed the experience, and as in the children's story Blueberries for Sal, hardly any berries made it to her basket, while most made it to her mouth.

Blueberry picking at this time of year has become a tradition in our little family, as Drew is particularly fond of the berries, and his birthday is always right around when the farm opens. This year, I am planning a blueberry cheesecake for his eating pleasure on his special day. If we're lucky, he'll share some with us. Blueberries also always make me think of my grandfather, Ed Kachik, who passed away this past January 7th. He LOVED blueberries, and each year, I imagine sharing some with him while I pick.

Besides the cake, I will make a double batch of blueberry jam to put up, we froze some for smothering bowls of vanilla ice cream, and set aside still some more for fresh eating and smoothies. I hope we'll go pick more on another Saturday to increase our freezer stash.

To celebrate the solstice, the longest day of the year, we gathered with friends at the Mattole Valley Community Center for the first ever Solstice Celebration, to raise funds for the Center itself. There was a dance performance, market, puppet show, shish-ke-bob dinner, silent and live auctions, live music, and just general merry-making. It was a really fun time. We rode down there on our bikes, with Ella in the little trailer.

This morning, I finally planted our black beans, with seed I grew last year. I will cross my fingers for a huge harvest. I also began dreaming about our winter garden, and realized that it IS time to start thinking about it, and to place a seed order. I hope that in the not too distant future, we will be saving our own, but for now, a few favorite seed companies get my business and help us grow what we eat.