Blackberry Time

The hedgerows are full of blackberries, it has been such a good year for these lovely fruits. We went for a long walk and I took the chance to gather some before it is too late because they are ripening and will soon be past their best. They really do taste so delicious.

A pretty butterfly sitting in the sunshine.

 

They were not the only berries to be growing along the hedgerows. It is also time for all my favourite red berries. Guess what I am busy drawing.

 

Look at the glossy blackberries.

The wild rosehips.

And perhaps my true favourites are the Hawthorne berries hanging so delicate from the branches.

Maybe the last of the Lords and Ladies, don't worry Because I have been busy capturing some in my zig zag book. This fallen one came home with me.

While I collected blackberries and took photographs someone kindly carried my bag with drinks and snacks and my iPad. He patiently waited for me as I stopped every two minutes.

And even helped pick some blackberries.

As we walk higher we stopped for a rest and to look down at the village and the shore.

I love this view and the memories from my childhood days. We would climb this gate into the field and run down the steep hill and scream as we ran so fast and couldn't stop until we crashed into the gate at the bottom of the hill. It always makes me smile when I remember those days. Sometimes it was full of cows and calves and they would chase after us and make us run even faster.

 

I love the seedheads of the cow parsley, another favourite subject to draw.

You can see the Lakeland hills over the stone wall looking to the North.

The views of the quarry, where the stone is being reclaimed by nature, wild flowers and self seeded trees and bushes grow on the old waste stone tipped into large mounds forming this landscape on the edge of the moors.

The sky starts to look dark and we head for home.

Plenty of blackberries.

And my other objects collected along the way.

I made some jam, a great success. It really tastes lovely on toast.

And an apple and blackberry cake.

A pretty jar of my jam I gave for a present. A handmade gift with my printed tag and A little card with my drawing of a basket of blackberries I did some years ago.

And this week I enjoyed recording a pencil drawing of a blackberry.

And I was really pleased with this delicate painting in my square book of a single blackberry. I used my acrylic inks and a very fine paint brush.

We have been so lucky with fine sunny days and a very warm September. Plenty of walks and so much inspiration along the hedgerows.

 

On our way home we go past the cows in the field. Through the old kissing gate and along the cart track leads up to where we have just been, with the moors high above.

Thank you for your comments which I always enjoy reading. I will leave you with this lovely sky I captured last night. Back to my red berries which I am drawing in my square book. I will share with you next time. Hope you enjoyed the walk and seeing what I have been doing. Millyx