Blackberries in the Hill Country, June 6, 2010

by Terry Thornton
email: hillcountrymonroecounty@gmail.com

Yesterday while driving home from the Palmer Memorial Service at Lann Cemetery, I notice alongside Thornton Road that wild blackberries were getting ripe.

"Too early," I thought. "I need to ask an old-timer if June 6th is not very early for blackberries to be getting ripe."

Then it dawned on me that at almost 71 years of age, that I was one of the old-timers. So I answered, "Yes, it seems very early for ripe blackberries" giving myself just a little wiggle room which I've learned to do over the past seven decades.

"It is early for blackberries in the Hill Country."

But there they were as this photograph will attest.

And on another observation regarding seasons and ripening of fruit --- on Wednesday, June 2, Sweetie and I picked ripe huckleberries off the bushes along Thornton Road in Monroe County --- and as we ate them we both talked about "Isn't it early for huckleberries to be ripe?"

So now you know --- old folks talk about when native fruits ripen.

You young'uns have a lot to look forward to.