Friday Flowers and Berries
My Friday morning walk to cut wildflowers in the field without the dogs is becoming a favorite part of my summer week.

This morning's hike had a double purpose. Some of the blackberries have ripened and I wanted to pick enough to make my favorite, yummy Blackberry Bars for breakfast.

Most people consider blackberry bushes to be noxious, invasive weeds. I can understand their point. Blackberry thorns are numerous, long, and sharp. Walking into a patch with exposed skin almost always results in blood, either from a scratch or puncture.

On the other hand, blackberries can hardly be beat for encouraging wildlife and birds. I've even seen a box turtle standing under a berry branch chowing down on their sweet goodness.


Only one of my three dogs enjoys the blackberries. Glory has figured out how to be careful and not get her nose punctured while she eats them right off the bush.

She selects the very ripe, sweet ones and leaves the rest.


The bluebirds have been busy building a new nest for a late summer brood.

This is the messiest bluebird nest I've seen in the nest boxes. Either they are tired from the two previous broods or this is a different bluebird pair. Or maybe the dead grass is different this time of year and this is the best they can manage.