Praise God...

For cooler weather, providing sweet blackberries, making fabulous blackberry jam! I started the day a little after 5:00 a.m. Good thing because once the sun came up in ernest, the little white flies were way too helpful. Dad, bless him, helped pick berries. I've owned one of those huge yellow Tupperware bowls that are great for popcorn in a large family but useful to someone single, like me. Until today. It was filled to overflowing. Two batches of jam, with berries left over. If the weather holds off, just a little longer, there might even be a third batch, but the weather is heating. We'll see. The longest part of the process is removing the little "stones" in the center of the berries. Some have it, some don't. There is nothing in the world like seeing those beautiful jars lined up, full. I hurt. All over. Blessedly, there is ibuprofen. And not sorry in the least. Making jam is one of those things I'm glad I don't do it on a regular basis because it wears me out, but I preen all year long. And without God's grace and mercy, it wouldn't happen. Thanks God.