So I was out picking blackberries yesterday, and I thought that if I got some shots I could give you the befores and the afters: I’m planning to make jam this week and maybe a few pies, all worthy of having their portraits taken. But of course by that point I’d picked most of the blackberries so I had to hunt for patches with some almost-ripe ones left. Like this
and then this
I didn’t think these were going to impress you much, though. I thought maybe I’d just wait to take pictures in a few days when more berries ripen. But then I had a great idea — even if I couldn’t reach those beauties growing up through the cedar tree, the camera could. So I stretched my right arm up high, aimed the camera as best I could, and snapped. When I viewed these later on the computer, I puzzled for a minute trying to figure out what that light circular shape with the dark spot in the middle could be. I couldn’t remember seeing it. You’ve probably already realized what it is, but it took me a few seconds of trying to configure it as a branch, a log. Even when I was sure I knew what it was, I called Paul in to see if I were being too fanciful. But he agreed with me; it’s a wasps’ nest and snapping my camera only added potential insult to the injury of hanging out right below to pick berries. I’ll be very careful when I go back for more today!
Hello,
We were just getting our buckets out for our summertime romp to Marion High to collect our berries…when I decided to check your blog….I hope we don’t have the same nest problem although there hasn’t been a year where at least one of my brood doesn’t get stung. I am glad you fared better and got out of there without even noticing.
hahaha , thats so classic. Did you get stung? I hope not! Is the nest on the property?
No stings at all — in fact, until I saw the nest on the computer screen, I didn’t notice any wasps at all. Today when I went back out, I tracked the nest down and could see the occasional wasp flying in and out, but none of them bothered me. And no, it’s not on the property, but just outside the fence, almost at the road.
Kathy, hope you guys stayed sting-free today and got lots of berries!