Blackberries! (and Raspberries, too.)

So just as I was considering moving back south due to all the cold, freezing, ice subfreezing temperatures... Wonderful, bird chirping, sun shining, wind through your hair, must wear sun glasses, sandals, and short - weather comes along to East Texas.

:)

So Kyle and I took advantage of Saturday and headed to Sam's. I know it's no playing in the park with a Frisbee but it was great. And we rounded the corner of the fun-in-the-sun aisle and saw this:

They were not in the produce aisle, and they were not seeds, but they were "ready to bloom this year" plants to grow and make berries for us! They had grapes which I was skeptical about having to water too much, they had blueberries that I really wanted, but then I saw the blackberries! And I convinced Kyle that we had to get them on account of my up-in-heaven-now Paw Paw Sherman.

I wish I had a picture of him to show you today, but I don't so I'll have to paint one with words. My Paw Paw Sherman led the Sunday school class at church, everyone knew and loved him, he made funny jokes, he grew up in a place called Hecker, and apparently was known for his pranks on his teachers.  He loved Jesus, loved his kiddos, and the "wild bunch" AKA my family.  He always wrote in capital letters, he always had an endless supply of yellow legal pads and chisel tip permanent markers, and my mother never in her life saw him wear shorts.  He had a wonderful garden and one time knowing that my little brother was expecting to dig up watermelons and didn't know that year the watermelons didn't sprout, my Paw Paw went to the store, bought a watermelon, covered it with dirt and let my little brother think he found it right in the garden. (Maybe I'll need to post more about him later, or my other wonderful relatives!)

But onto the blackberries... Growing up, we'd head over to my mom's parents house every Sunday after church. We'd eat rice gravy and meatballs every week out of these little white bowls. Then when it was the right season, we'd arm ourselves with old butter tubs and head out to harvest. We'd run around my Paw Paw's back yard getting every blackberry we could find. I'll note that he had tons, we had 4 kids plus cousins and parents and we all ended up with tons of blackberries every time we'd pick. A few minutes later our tongues and fingers would be stained purple and my Maw Maw Frances would be on her way to making yummy blackberry cobbler.

See only happiness comes from blackberries. So Kyle was convinced.

We came home and Sunday after church Kyle and I got right to it finding a sunny place with good soil to start our crop.  Sure they don't look like much now, but you just wait and see all the goodness come!

That's Blackberry A: In the ground.

And that's Blackberry B in the front and Raspberry B in the back.

And of course Raspberry A.

Won't this be so exciting to see them grow! Oh I hope they grow and I hope I don't kill them like the last plant I got.

So tell me, what are you planting this year?