What We Needed

 Hello Friends

It's been a while.

Truth be told, I had a post written and never posted it.

It didn't feel right.

I know, how very queer of me.

I've not only not written here, but have not written anything.

I usually have a story I'm working on in the background somewhere.

I've felt ragged, I s'poze.

We've been very busy at work and with the garden

and with life and with. . . . 

An example:

This weekend is Father's Day,

Hubby's Birthday & his twin brother's birthday,

and my dad's birthday,

and two graduates (from the same school),

and a wedding.

I don't really consider myself a social person ~

yeah, go ahead and laugh.

We had intended on going camping last weekend

even though we knew there would be many others since

it was Memorial Day weekend, but life happened.

So Hubby suggested we go this past weekend.

May I just say,

three days out of service in the woods

was exactly what we needed.

It was perfect weather.

We had plenty to eat.

And there were very few vehicles at all - maybe half dozen all weekend.

So each day we woke up,

drank our coffee and went for walks.

Hubby went for longer walks.

I took stitching and would stitch then go for a walk,

then go back to stitching, then another walk.

And what might we find on these walks?

Well, let me show you.

I don't even care for mushrooms, but Hubby loves them.

I think total we found about 15-18 lbs.

I do like looking for them.

They would emerge right in camp.

It was amazing.

In case you are wondering, morels, calf brains, chanterelles, and a couple oysters.

Made it home Sunday about lunch time & got busy.

Hubby smoked one batch, and we kept some for fresh,

but the rest went on the dehydrator.

Monday morning, I put the smoked ones on the little dehydrator.

For your reference:

About 5 lbs. of mushrooms fits in a quart jar.

That was a bit of a shocker.

Now we are back at it but with the lingering scent of the fir trees

in our lungs and the sound of the morning birds still in our heads.

It's like fueling up the car.

We can go for a few more miles now.

Wishing you all the peace that nature brings.

 

Blackberries Good vs. Bad

When foraging blackberries,

you will be much happier if you pick the good ones.

Going through the pricks and scratches of the thorns,

you at least want to know it's worth it.
There are two kinds that grow in the same environments.
The berries look the same, but taste vastly different.
The way to tell them apart is by the leaves.

The good ones have rounder leaves with 5 per stem.

They look kinda like a large rose leaf and stem.

The berries from these plants will be delicious.

The other kind of black berry is an imposter.

The leaves are shaggy and jagged looking.

This plant will also produce berries.

They will look the same as the good ones,

but won't taste the same.

Both plants produce berries that 'appear' to be the same.

We have both on our place though I do try to get rid of the bad ones

more than I try to get rid of the good ones.

Both plants can and will take over if we let them.

Knowing the difference will make all the difference in your jam or cobbler.

And lastly, please forgive me if I have made a similar post in the past,

but I have run into a few people lately that are excited about

having black berries on their place and had no idea there was a difference.

It's just one of those little morsels of information worth knowing

especially  since if you have one you probably have the other.

If you are going to pick, might as well pick the good ones.

Until next time,

Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches

Eating in Nature: Do's and Don'ts

I will state right away

that I am not a pro at knowing

all the 'foods' of the wild;

however, there are some basics that

I think it would be wise to know

even if you were just traveling.

Last weekend, Mr. LB went

motorcycling with a friend.

I went along, dropped him off, then

went into town to get some groceries.

I returned way before they were back

so I began to get my camera and walk around.

I found a bush full of beautiful rose-hips

so I went back to the pick-up and got

a cup so I could pick some.

DO

As I was picking,

there were several people who

asked what kind of berries they were.

One fella even said, after I had answered him,

"Are they edible?"

I told him they were.

I didn't think rose-hips were anything weird,

but evidently a lot of folks

don't even know what they are.

And just for your knowledge,

you are supposed to wait until after the

first frost to pick them.

So I decided to show just a couple

very common things.

DO

Elderberries can be eaten just as they are

or made into such things as:

jelly, syrup, or of course wine.

They are a little seedy if you eat them just plain,

but the juice is very flavorful.

DON'T

I only know these as coyote berries.

Do Not eat these!

They are poisonous.

Blackberries are common; however, 

there are two kinds around here.

The ones with the big fat leaves are good.

The ones with the skinny pointy leaves are bitter.
The berries look the same, 
but the flavor is reeeealllly different.

These aren't uncommon things,
but I sure get the questions
when I am picking them.

Until next time,
Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches