The summer that we moved to Virginia, Jonny moved a couple months before I did. Seth and I stayed behind in our apartment in Athens while Jonny started his new job and tried to find a place for us to live. I found it difficult to pass the time. It really doesn’t matter how much you love your baby (well, he was pushing two years old) it gets boring when it’s just the two of you day after day. I did my best to structure our days. I would put Seth on my back in one of those bulky metal framed backpack carriers and we would walk through the woods every single day. Then maybe it would be time for lunch and a nap, though I don’t remember him being a good napper, or sleeper in general. In the afternoon I would put him in the stroller and we would walk throughout the apartment complex. At least once a week I would take him to visit my in-laws, about an hour’s drive away. I drove an old Chevy pickup that had belonged to my grandfather. I loved it so much, though we broke down from time to time and I had to rely on the kindness of strangers more than once. On the way to my in-laws house there was a little blueberry farm tucked into the backyard of an elderly couple. I would put Seth on my back and we would pick berries for as long as we both lasted. I still remember him carefully choosing the largest berries to eat from the bucket as we drove down the road. It’s interesting the way that circumstances that felt hard at the time are now some of my sweetest memories. And isn’t funny how memories like that can feel like yesterday? Though it was actually about this time sixteen years ago…. (And I’m pretty sure I’ve told this story here before!)
Last week we went blueberry picking at a nearby farm. It must have been the first time we’ve done so in years. I’m not sure that any of the kids I had with me have been before. Maybe Lark and Beatrix have, the rest definitely not. It didn’t take long for Mabel to decide she was finished, though we picked long enough to pay a hefty sum at the cash register! Those pick your own berries really add up quickly. In the days since, the kids made blueberry peach hand pies, and I made a couple of blueberry pies as well. One regular, and one gluten free. Our go-to pie crust recipe is from (affiliate link) Rustic Fruit Desserts. I used this gluten free pie crust recipe. For the filling, we followed this simple recipe.
In the midst of the all the pie making, I sewed a cotton gauze baby blanket for a friend’s new baby and dyed it with indigo in my iron vat. I tried to quickly snap photos of the blanket on the rack as the indigo oxidized resulting in the blue color of the blanket. The photo just before the last one is most accurate of the final color. I have enough to fabric to make one more, and I know of one more baby boy coming soon, so I think I’ll make another!
p.s. There are playsilks and goat’s milk soap in my shop now and I’ll be updating the shop with yarn and a limited run of head scarves/kerchiefs on Thursday at 10 a.m. ET.
Lana says
Dear friends of ours own a U Pick blueberry farm in California. I guess they might be considered elderly now. The work never stops there. They work year round to produce a good crop every summer. It was fun to see your pictures since we have never been there to see their farm. I know they have the same families come back year after year to pick and they see the children grow up as the years pass.
Maeve says
We still haven’t been blueberry picking this year but need to! Our trick is always trying to gauge the amount we will eat fresh, because I have never baked with blueberries but it might just be time to try it. You’ve inspired me!
karen says
the older I get the more time passes by quickly. It seems like yesterday I had two little ones in the house and it was decades ago. I think that is why I like babysitting, I get a tiny bit of little ones and then I get to leave for the day. The best of both worlds 🙂
Emily says
Beautiful story! When I think back to having only one child, it always strikes me how difficult and overwhelming it was … which is ironic now that I have a few more 🙂
Theresa Boedeker says
Love your gentle story telling. The blueberry story reminded me of my teen summers where I would pick at a blueberry farm about 3 miles from our house most summers. It was my main spending money for the year. And boy was it hard to earn. Hard to start picking about 7 to 8 am and end about 3-4 pm to get 100 pounds picked. Not all days were that good. But oh the pounds of blueberries I ate every day. They are still one of my favorite fruits.
Marilyn says
What a happy day your children had. They seem to enjoy picking berries. It looks like a lot of fun and hard work,too. I am going to print out the recipe you have included. Enjoy your blueberry pies.
Marilyn
Marion says
Ginny it looks like fun for everyone picking blueberries. All of the children look happy but have had enough picking.
Marion
Joan says
The blueberries look delicious. There is nothing like fresh fruit. The pie looks delicious.
Joan
Jo Shafer says
Definitely blueberry season out here in the Pacific Northwest. We’re fortunate that Cowiche Creek Nursery, a large country garden center in Yakima Valley (Washington), offers several varieties of blueberries. We’re planning to drive out later today to stock up our freezer for winter baking — as well as for eating right now.
Kate says
Lark is getting so mature looking (loosing that little girl roundness).
When I visited my brothers and their families in Virginia about 10 years ago, we went blueberry picking somewhere west of Manassas. I was so excited! I had always wanted to grow blueberries myself, but our western soil was too alkaline. Now we live closer to my brothers and I hope to plant some blueberry bushes. Blue is my favorite color and blueberries, my favorite fruit.
Leslie F says
That pie is entirely too pretty to eat, but I’m willing to give it a try! We have lots of pick-your-own strawberry farms around here, but I’ve not seen any blueberries – I might have to go look for some!
Just wondering – is the tree where the kids are sitting one of the famous trees of Virginia?
Thanks for the lovely pictures of your sweet family!
Omainiowa says
I love seeing pictures of your children as they grow and change. Seeing them running and playing in their bare feet reminds me of my childhood back in the late 40’s (I’m an old woman). We never wore shoes all summer except to go to church on Sunday. Could hardly wait for school to start in late August, but hated having to wear socks and shoes. When school let out in the afternoon, first thing I did was sit on the school steps and take off my shoes … and walk home barefoot!
Maria says
We are picking blueberries and baking pies also. The u-pick field we have gone to for years is now $2 a pound so I was thrilled to discover a different field, nice bushes but not quite as well maintained, for $1 a pound! Blueberry preserves, frozen blueberries, pies..so many delicious choices!
Ginny says
Can you believe that I paid $4/pound! And that was a good deal compared to the other local farms charging $6! Sounds like next year we need to take a blueberry picking road trip!
Maria says
Yes, do a blueberry trip to NY next year to stock up the freezer 🙂
Elizabeth says
special stories and memories here! glad you were able to go this year! That’s so nice!
Eileen says
The play silk from your shop just arrived…love it. Can’t wait for Betty to see it tomorrow, she found her Mom’s scarfs today in the closet, what timing! Thanks, the color is beautiful!
Wonderful pictures of the kids!
Ginny says
I’m so glad you love the playsilk! I hope Betty does too!