Going Berry Picking

The call of the woods and the ripe blackberries was irresistible tonight.  Despite the heat and humidity, I suited up into my anti-poison ivy/bramble gear.  I was sweating before I even walked out of the house!  But, armed with two baskets and the camera (just in case, you never know what you might see in the woods), I headed out across the wheat stubble in the field with juicy sweet blackberries on my mind.

The sky was a beautiful blue, especially as seen from under the fringe of the old oak tree in the middle of the field.

I wasn't alone in my trek across the field:

a wild turkey was out browsing in the weeds near the edge of the marsh,

this little toad was almost blending in with the wheat stubble,

there were many butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies,

and a hawk was out looking for supper.

Entering the woods, I found what I was looking for; ripe, luscious berries shining like onyx in the evening sun.

Some spots had only one or two ripe berries, while others had dozens.  They varied in size also, with the biggest being half as large as my thumb! 

The end of the trail, as the sun goes down.

By the time I had gotten to the end of the woods path, the sun was sinking low, and I had collected three quarts of berries.  Tomorrow's project: blackberry jelly!