Bountiful

In the peak of summer certain things are expected - a welcomed hot climate, exhausted but happy children running to and fro from one summer activity to the next, tanned skin gleaming and proudly wearing the mark of the summer sun and for many, the wonderful privilege of enjoying the earth's harvest brought on by their own sweat or perhaps just gifted by the earth itself.

It's true that my neighborhood can never be compared with the wonderful rural areas of some of my favorite mom bloggers like Ginny from Small Things or Amanda from Soule Mama. But the bounty can be just as wonderful especially when you discover them accidentally. 

Today, after lingering around our own little patch and admiring the would be fruitage of the few plants we have thriving (and yes, getting the few that were ready for us to enjoy), I discovered a few extra gifts...

• my neighbors apple tree has been dropping a lot of green apples in our pathway.  I did not really take any note of it until I started thinking that they may be Granny Smith apples that we usually use for our daily juicing.  If so, then the few that hovers in our side of the fence may be utilized and saved from the compose bin. After sampling one, I realized that it was actually a great Gala variety and the girls really like it.  Now we covet the few that make it our side and we'll make sure they will not be put to waste. 
• There's a small, unpaved alley way in the back of our house that we usually don't pay a lot of attention to.  We haven't had access to it since my landlord fenced off the back carport and lock the gate.  However, I remembered coming across a large blackberry bush there (mostly outgrowth of my neighbors plant) and at the time it was brimming with flowers.  I figured that wild blackberries will be plentiful there once they are in season.  We use to have the bushes on both sides of our fence coming in from our neighbors but they both cut them!!!!  Yeah, I know....why on earth did they do that!!!  Anyway, I guess one neighbor left a big cluster of them in the back of his house and now it's overflowing to the public alley way.  I stopped by there today while running an errand and I'm glad I did.  It was pack full from top to bottom!!!  Unfortunately, I only had a little cup with me so I only took what I could carry with the hopes of returning tomorrow so I could get enough for a batch of blackberry jam...yum!!!

 Yes, summer is in full swing but sadly as this webpage noted (one of the many I browsed today looking for a good jam recipe), when the blackberries are plentiful then that also means that summer is on it's way out. Well, this summer is certainly hurrying to get out but I don't think I'm ready to let go of  it yet.  I'm still looking forward for more hot summer nights, campfires and late twilight...it's summer after all...let it be as long as  daylight and let's enjoy it (and all it's bounty) every step of the way!