Toward the end of our July 4th vacation we were rewarded with a cool day of temperatures only in the 70s.  Taking full advantage of the respite from the heat, we decided it would be a good day to go hiking in the woods, along the trails my husband spent countless days exploring as a child.

Hoping that the wild berries were in season (and armed with bug spray) we trotted off into the woods.  Trying to find the “shortcut” was no small task, the ferns had grown up so much that they were almost above our daughter’s head and I felt as though I should have a machete to cut a way through the leaves and fallen tree branches.

Finally we got to the trail and as we searched from side to side berry plants were spotted.  Blackberry plants, strawberry plants and blueberry plants!  The blackberry plants and strawberry plants we found were sparse and did not have any berries (they could have already been eaten by the resident bear – most likely a deer or two) but the blueberries were plentiful and ripe for picking!

The wild blueberry plants are so pretty, producing these little dark blue treats – like a tiny blue jewel in a sea of forest green.  Many of the plants were just beginning to ripen and had various colors of blue, purple and green berries.  We came across a huge patch of plants in a small sun-filled meadow, it was wonderful kneeling down to discover the little treasures with the sun warming your back.  Our daughter loves blueberries and it didn’t take long before she figured out how to find and pick a nice, ripe, blueberry – although she did spend most of her time trying to pick wildflowers or sneaking a berry to eat out of our bucket.

It is great fun returning home with a stash of wild blueberries!  They taste even better than those you buy at a store or a berry farm – a tiny little bite of sweet and tart.  And the delight that you hunted for them; found and picked them yourself!