IN SEARCH OF SERVICEBERRY

It commenced to rain Friday and the weekend was cold and unsettled, all but confining us to the house. “Decidedly unpleasant,” said Mike as he brought in more wood for the fireplace. When the sun did peek out, it felt warm, but it has been mostly hidden behind the clouds.

Still, we got out for our walks, and Bess especially has enjoyed being outside regardless of the weather. She runs here and there all over the yard and hardly ever lights. She’s gotten downright skinny, and I could Hallie saying, "Dad, Bess is too skinny; you need to feed her." So this morning I slipped her extra food. She thanked me with three little hops.

 

Frankly, I’m surprised that we outlasted that spell of rain and cold and remained at the farmhouse. In fact, I didn’t bring a lot of food – or anything else – because I know Mike. I just knew that sometime during the weekend he would say, “Well, there’s no use staying here. Let’s go back to town.” Boy! Did he surprise me! Not only are we still here, but we’re going to have to go for basic food items, although we really have plenty. It would be a long time before we’d starve.

 

Today dawned bright but cold – 34.7 when I got up at 6:00. The sun is shining and the air seems to be warming quickly. So, I’m washing again, especially since our supply of rag towels is dirty, having been used to clean the dogs when they come into the house.

The serviceberry is in bloom, and I’ve had such fun seeing how much grows here. I just don’t remember seeing it in bloom before, but maybe I just wasn’t alive to it. Naturally, down in the valley it blooms earlier. Looking for it in the summertime, I found it difficult to distinguish it from other bushy trees. The blossoms are distinctive, though, and on our walks I’ve made note of where it grows.

As I recall, serviceberry fruits rather early, so I must take care not to let “Serviceberry Fest” pass me by. The jelly is really quite tasty, milder than elderberry. I have friends who prefer it. KW

 The pictures: 1) A storm silhouettes the old barn. 2) Bess on point. Her enthusiasm in the field warms her master's heart. 3) A serviceberry tree in "the park." 4) A serviceberry grows behind the apple tree in  the lane. Who knew? 5) Serviceberry -- closer up. 6) Serviceberry on the canyon rim.