100 Pounds of Blueberries
Back in the day when I was working at a summer camp in Michigan, the folks would drive me there, pick me up and usually make a trip to see me some time during the summer. Every return trip to the city (aka Chicago) included a stop at the blueberry farm for some fresh fruit and maybe a pie or muffin.
It's been a number of years since I've spent my summers in Michigan but the folks still like their fresh fruit. I don't know if it is the power of nostalgia or the truth, but they have come to believe that the very best blueberries available to us poor city dwellers, come from the state of Michigan. It has become their yearly habit to set aside a day or two to make the blueberry trek (And of course to spend at least part of a day in the outlet mall in Holland Michigan).
So this morning they loaded up the Mini van, kissed the cats and hit the road. Bon voyage. Happy trails. I'll just be here lounging about, playing video games (maybe watching a little smut on the big screen TV). Don't hurry back. I am king of the castle.
Apparently traffic heading out was a nightmare. The old man has to work tomorrow evening and doesn't relish the idea of getting up at five in the morning in the desperate hope of trying to beat the highway congestion. Around ten, I'm just rolling in from my evening walk, having kicked around five or six writing ideas and thought through a couple of them to what amounts to my usual two page missive, I wander up to my bedroom prepared to make the decision about what concerns me most at this juncture: talk about the name of the blog or wild stream of conciousness bit about the way my mind works in conjunction with the ideas Im talking in from books, the internet and other people. The phone starts ringing almost the second I sit down(while kicking off the shoes and slowly preparing to clamber down the stairs for the post walk shower. Once you sit down it takes a bit to work up the momentum to get moving again).
It is the mother letting me know that they are due back shortly and that they will expecting me to carry in the blueberries. I am asked to guess how many blueberries they had acquired. I'm thinking, "Well you got fifty pounds last year and they went pretty fast especially after you gave away ten pounds, so probably seventy pounds"
No. They get one hundred pounds of blueberries. Even after they give twenty away we will still have an incredible amount. The basement refrigerator is now blueberries wall to wall (with a couple of beers in the bottom drawer).
The thing is, I don't like blueberries! Sure I like to throw a few in the fruit smoothy to give it cooler ant that fruit punch feel, but on there own it is not a flavor I relish. Give me apples pears nectarines. Give me a banana just so long as it hasn't started to go brown yet. I'm partial to orange and grapefruit. I just don't like blueberries.
In Summary: Blueberries grow well in Michigan. We have a hundred pounds of em. In a smoothy try mixing them with cherries strawberries cranberry juice apples and maybe a little orange juice. Make sure all the solid ingredients are frozen and it makes a tasty treat and you don't need to add ice. Throwing a party? Add rum or vodka. For more bold creative alcoholic flavors consult a professional mixologist (bartender). Oh and I don't like blueberries.
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It's been a number of years since I've spent my summers in Michigan but the folks still like their fresh fruit. I don't know if it is the power of nostalgia or the truth, but they have come to believe that the very best blueberries available to us poor city dwellers, come from the state of Michigan. It has become their yearly habit to set aside a day or two to make the blueberry trek (And of course to spend at least part of a day in the outlet mall in Holland Michigan).
So this morning they loaded up the Mini van, kissed the cats and hit the road. Bon voyage. Happy trails. I'll just be here lounging about, playing video games (maybe watching a little smut on the big screen TV). Don't hurry back. I am king of the castle.
Apparently traffic heading out was a nightmare. The old man has to work tomorrow evening and doesn't relish the idea of getting up at five in the morning in the desperate hope of trying to beat the highway congestion. Around ten, I'm just rolling in from my evening walk, having kicked around five or six writing ideas and thought through a couple of them to what amounts to my usual two page missive, I wander up to my bedroom prepared to make the decision about what concerns me most at this juncture: talk about the name of the blog or wild stream of conciousness bit about the way my mind works in conjunction with the ideas Im talking in from books, the internet and other people. The phone starts ringing almost the second I sit down(while kicking off the shoes and slowly preparing to clamber down the stairs for the post walk shower. Once you sit down it takes a bit to work up the momentum to get moving again).
It is the mother letting me know that they are due back shortly and that they will expecting me to carry in the blueberries. I am asked to guess how many blueberries they had acquired. I'm thinking, "Well you got fifty pounds last year and they went pretty fast especially after you gave away ten pounds, so probably seventy pounds"
No. They get one hundred pounds of blueberries. Even after they give twenty away we will still have an incredible amount. The basement refrigerator is now blueberries wall to wall (with a couple of beers in the bottom drawer).
The thing is, I don't like blueberries! Sure I like to throw a few in the fruit smoothy to give it cooler ant that fruit punch feel, but on there own it is not a flavor I relish. Give me apples pears nectarines. Give me a banana just so long as it hasn't started to go brown yet. I'm partial to orange and grapefruit. I just don't like blueberries.
In Summary: Blueberries grow well in Michigan. We have a hundred pounds of em. In a smoothy try mixing them with cherries strawberries cranberry juice apples and maybe a little orange juice. Make sure all the solid ingredients are frozen and it makes a tasty treat and you don't need to add ice. Throwing a party? Add rum or vodka. For more bold creative alcoholic flavors consult a professional mixologist (bartender). Oh and I don't like blueberries.
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posted by Rich Rosenthal II at 12:34 AM
3 Comments:
Blue berries...I can't say I love or hate them, as I've not thought about it, but it sounds fun going on a berry expedition. Did you squarsh any in transport?
Stream of consciousness is where it's at, I mentioned it today too! Isn't it fun to come up with the origination of an idea (peas, green, green tea, tea party, Boston, trip to Boston '99 with cousin, cousin called a minute ago asking about Renaissance Festival...gotta get money...money is green like peas.)
Do mom and dad eat the blueberries or do they can them? certainly they must. i used to have a recipe for a blueberry jelly with lemon zest. it was quite yummy despite that it sounds grosser than gross. I will have to find that for you.
they wash em the freeze em then eat em forzen on their cereal
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