Mulberry Picking

Over the summer we spent a few different afternoons out picking mulberries. As a kid I can remember always picking mulberries from the tree in Grandma Fleischackers back yard. That tree is still there and was the source for some of our pickings this year.

We spent one afternoon with my sister and her kids traveling around to some of her hot spots that she forages. All the kids helped pick and did a really good job. No one complained and I think the kids all had a really good time hanging out together.Drew helped pick too, but most, ok all of his berries were eaten before we got them home. We would frequently find him just sitting on the grass eating all the berries he had just put in his bucket.

We thought he looked a lot like the Joker.
Jake, Julie and Sara

With all the mulberries we picked this season I made 18 half pints of jelly. We were also able to freeze some to add into our smoothies.

Giant Moth

The other evening I went out to pick up my towels that had blown off the clothesline. When I went to pick up this yellow towel I was shocked to see this on it. I quickly ran inside to get Will and the kids and of course, my camera. We had never seen a moth so big. I had the kids go next door to get their cousins cause I figured they would love to see something like this as well. My brother came over with them and was intrigued so he went home to get his identification book. After looking through the book we discovered it was an Imperial Moth. It stayed all evening on the towel. The next morning it was gone. Fascinating!

Spring Cleaning

Yesterday was a great day. I spent most of the afternoon working outside with my husband and kids. We got some raking done, sticks picked up out of the yard, strawberry bed cleaned out as well as the garden. We also had our first fire of 2011. We love burning. Being outside, the sunshine, the smell...

I have a little more work to do in the garden before we are ready to till it up for Spring. I dumped the chickens bedding in there over the winter. It should give it some good fertilizer. I am so excited for this years garden.

My strawberries look pretty good. I was going to thin them out but after raking all the dead vines and leaves out they are looking awesome so I am just going to leave them where they are at this year.

We got all the broken toys and sticks cleaned up out of the yard. Now we just need to rake up the gravel that was brought in by the snow plow. It looks alot nicer. Now all we need is green grass!

Wild Plums

The kids and I were out hiking and I found a good selection of what I thought at the time were wild plums. Turns out after a little research online I was right. I have heard of them but never seen them before, at least not that I recognized. It looked like some of the trees were ripe and ready to be picked. Here are a few I brought home.Most of them though were not ripe. I will have to keep my eye on these little treasures.The boys kept me at a good speed walking. They were always ahead of me and I spent most of my time trying to keep up with them.

Saylorville Spillway

Will took the kids fishing the other night to give mommy some "alone time". While they were out they went to the Saylorville spillway. It had been closed for a little while due to all the rain and flooding. Here are some of the amazing pictures he took. Water is still running through there so fast and furiously. It's amazing.