Monday 6 September 2010

Bounty hunters

Like a lot of my 'internet weirdo' buddies I've been out gathering some of nature's bounty. While some are collecting kilos of mushrooms I'm sticking to produce I feel safe in identifying. Blueberries. The velvety indigo bubbles of Vitamin C and anti-oxidants seem almost too good to be lying around out there, free for anyone willing to expend a little energy and a few minutes bent double in their pursuit.

But there is more than food to be found out there.

It's been a while since I've ventured beyond the smooth trails around the reservoir near my home. The busy start of a new academic year and a lingering twinge in my reconstructed knee after my Hardangervidda adventure has kept my wanderings in check recently. But I'm hungry again.

The weekend's sunshine certainly put a dash of summer into a fine day in the hills day but there are signs of Autumn. A chill in morning air. Birch leaves edged in gold. Moving that fleece from the bottom of the wardrobe to somewhere more accessible.

So I've started planning some outings. Maybe one last trip in a canoe before the first frost. Hopefully a trip to a forest in October to wrap myself in autumnal colour. Thoughts of the winter's first ski trip start to arise. Beyond that are rumblings of something a bit special. Something cold and arduous. Something to day dream about.

Fruit, fungus, beauty, challenges and rejuvenation. Nature is truly bountiful. Go get some.

5 comments:

kate said...

those blueberry's look lovely, muffin time! inspiring post, i love the change of season too.

Fraser said...

We've got a small blueberry bush in the garden, they're great in yogurt!

Have certainly felt the temperature cooling of late, looking forward to autumn and winter.

Joe Newton said...

Kate - you know what, I made muffins last night and forgot I had blueberries in the fridge. Doh!

Fraser - yoghurt, muffins, pancakes, muesli, porridge... the list is endless!

The temperatures have been falling recently over here too but the last few days have been like the summer we never had!

Unknown said...

Actually - and I know this is going to come as a shock - but those are bilberries. In fact, blueberries don't grow in the wild in Europe.

I first read about this in The Guardian. A reporter visited Finland and was going on about bilberry stains on her clothing and hands. Of course, I thought "How stupid! They're blueberries!" But after some research I found she was correct. I enjoy watching the faces of my Nordic friends as I tell them this. It seems to somehow threaten their national identity!

Alastair said...

that's the smallest frog in the world! (unless you have the biggest hands in the world?)
awesome blog - cheers.