First Fruits

These are the very first blueberries I've seen so far this year. They were on the bushes right beside the road where they get direct sun as well as some heat from the road. There were only about a dozen of them ready, but there are a ton on the way. There's a huge blueberry barren behind our house which is part of a farm. The farmer always lets us pick as many as we want. And I always want a lot. For a short time each year I almost make myself sick on them. But then raspberries come and I leave the blueberries behind. Then blackberries. (I can be very fickle.) The farmer says everything's late this year because it's been cold. Of course he simply said. "Berries are late. Cold." But that seems to be the way of all farmers that I've known. Men and women of strong character, hard work, and few words.

First fruits makes me think of another kind of first fruits -- the blessings that I have. I want to make sure I always give the first fruits back to God... blueberries or otherwise. I know He can do more with my 90% then I can do with 100%. 

Next year we are going to have lingon berries -- we planted bushes this year. I can't wait. I got hooked on lingon berries and currants in France and England. It's hard to find either of them here. So, I thought I'd just try to grow our own.

It's the first sunny day in more than a week, so I'm headed outside to enjoy it. Under my sun hat and longsleeved shirt and in the shade, of course. Cursed pale skin. 

(Posted Jul 11th, 2016)