Family Briefs

I ended a 3-day illness with the flu by picking blueberries with my children. My husband had frequently shooed them outside to play and pick their share of blueberries, all in an effort to help me rest and recover (although I suspect what he was really doing was trying to protect his planned backpacking trip this weekend).

My children had made quite an accomplishment with all they picked, but I knew they needed help with the “up high” pickin’ (and I probably needed some fresh air and light exercise). The two middles had been less exhuberant pickers than the oldest, but they were eager to go when they found out I was venturing out into the yard with them.

We had a delightful time pickin’ blueberries together - the activity, the feeling of teamwork and accomplishment, the conversation (”look how big this one is,” “this one was really juicy,” “watch out for the briars” - see? almost adult-like ). Since it didn’t take long for the two middles to retire to the swing set, that gave me and my oldest some precious one-on-one time.

We didn’t necessarily have any breathtaking conversation - for the most part we were just working together. He and I are like that - kinda quiet (well, he is quiet only when he’s apart from his siblings), happy just doing our thing. When we finished the blueberry pickin’, we worked together on weeding the garden some. I sort-of began losing him when he started hauling weeds and limbs to the street (and it didn’t help that he noticed his siblings on the swings). “That’s okay,” I said, “You can go play with them.” He seemed relieved - enough time with mom, perhaps.

Despite the sweat and mosquitoes, it was a most enjoyable morning with 3 of my 4 (the littlest was down for her nap - she got to frolic in the grass for a bit before lunch). I’ll savor the time and memories, and look what I have to show for it!!!

As a side note, I’ve saved a couple of plastic containers that I purchased strawberries and grape tomatoes in to pick our blueberries and store them in - this keeps my plastic containers more accessible for leftovers (or for my youngest to pull out of the cabinets while I’m trying to cook). When we’re done with them for the season, I can just recycle them!