Blackberries: It's all about Perspective.

Our first yield we made into two batches of jam. 16 cups of berries; we thought we were blessed.

With the next 6 cups of berries Anna made a large pastry that we took to church. 

Then with 8 more cups she made this pie.

A couple times we had friends come over. The little tykes who picked got some that we either didn't see or couldn't get to!
They easily took home 20 cups between them. 

After that we brought 6 cups to a friend, and froze 6 cups. A couple days later I froze 12 more cups. 

This morning Anna used 3 cups in pancakes.

These I picked today.

These we will probably be able to pick tomorrow. 

This 6-cup bucketful, plus what was left of another bucket just like it after Anna got done with it, I made into Blackberry Sauce. 

Funny, when you are picking blackberries it is all about perspective. The leaves are large, and they often hide. Sometimes a ripe berry will hide between a not-so-ripe berry! Just move to another spot, and the bounty is exposed! You can't imagine why you couldn't see them from where you were previously standing; you were right next to them but you were just in the wrong place. You had to move. Imagine if you hadn't. What would you have missed if you just walked away rather than admitting that to just move a single step would make all the difference? Perspective.

Then, imagine if all I did was make jam. Every time I picked 8 cups I'd end up with another six jam jars. Those are for the future, and that's fine, but what about now? If Anna just started making pies. Day after day, another pie. We'd add pounds, and we'd grow tired of Blackberry Pie. How much blackberry sauce can you really use? Perspective.

My life. I'm so stubborn. I'm so unwilling to take a step sideways or even backwards. I get so upset when others take steps that cause me to have to move. I stubbornly stand there expecting life's bounty to magically appear. How sad that is. I should be willing to change how I look at it, and embrace what I find hiding under that leaf, or behind that berry that isn't quite ready yet. Perspective.