B is for Blueberries

Did you know that blueberries are the only naturally occurring blue food? You probably did. But did you know they were native to North America? I didn't, but I had never wondered about that before. Sometimes the world I live in is very limited. :)

We are very lucky that we get to pick from Uncle Billy's blueberry bushes every year. Over time he has carefully tended to them so he has several large, prolific ones. Blueberry season here starts at the end of June and goes for several weeks. During that time, we have blueberries for snacks, with our cereal, and some go into the freezer. However, my favorite way to eat them is in a pie mixed with sour cherries. I love a fruit pie.

I have also gone blueberry picking in Maine with Mary Ellen's family. We picked wild blueberries which were much smaller than the cultivated ones we find at Uncle Billy's house. Some of us were picking individual berries and others were using a blueberry rake which "grabs" the berries and leaves the stems and leaves. That was fun to use. I have also eaten wild blueberries while hiking. They were an especially welcome treat and a good excuse for me to get others to stop when I was tiring out before they were.

No discussion of picking blueberries in Maine would be complete without a mention of Wally's favorite book when he was little, Blueberries For Sal by Robert McCloskey. A favorite of mind, too. One reason is that I like to say, "kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk,"  when Sal drops berries into her bucket. :)

That's about it for today. See you tomorrow when I will switch from fruits to a vegetable. Or will I...