My aunt was so proud of my pickles and preserves that she entered them into the state fair. My big head was brought down to size when we discovered the difference between county and state fairs. At the county fair, the judges didn’t taste the preserves. Mine were just the prettiest. At the state fair, they tasted. Mine didn’t win. This goes to show beauty only counts in county fairs and beauty pagents! It’s what’s inside that counts!
Blackberry Hand-me Downs
By Maryleigh at Blue Cotton Memory
“Hand me down some summertime, Darlin’,”
asks breakfast table relations,
“Some of that blackberry summer time.”
“Blackberry jams all gone,” comes the answer
“All Gone till summer time.
When berry time comes, I’ll preserve
you
some summer time.”
drops of lemon and sugar pounds,
bitter-sweetened blackberries
picked in the chilled sweat
of morning’s summer sun
oozes juice
dripping
staining
a cotton apron.
sweetly to syrup it cooks
bubbling
to the rumbling Galaxy fan
blowing hotness
against salty sweat that balls
like candy
sliding
down flushed cheeks.
stirring carefully,
sometimes carelessly
damp hands swat flies
and the noon siren hollers from town
as shoes stick to the jelled linoleum.
dip
pour
tighten
hot clean Mason jars and
settle in a water bath.
tidy up
cool down
fish out
jars glisten on cheesecloth rows
lined like plowed fields
in pink watermelon prints
and in the falling of the day
when shades are pulled
dry coolness draws heat
from sweaty skin twitching
to a tin beat
pop!
pop!
pop!
sealed and saved
until little and b ig
voices around the breakfast table say,
“Hand me down some of that Summer Time.”
I love your poem. I also love anything home canned, especially jams & jellies. Thankfully my mom still cans. She just canned some peaches this week.
So you’ve won a few ribbons and awards for your cooking and creative skills. That is so cool.
I hope you get your internet up & running or has it been already?
My dentist’s office called me today to see how I’m doing. They still have to put in a permanant filling. In a week or 2 when the mouth is all settled down. I’m not looking forward to the drill and the novacain again. UGH!
Take care.
Beautiful! I love blackberry jam!
Yummmm!!! Blackberry is my favorite and now I want some, lol. Thanks for dropping by my blog and taking the time to leave a comment. I love the photo of your boys at the top. I love Sons!!! I have one who’s 18 and starting community college in October.
what a cool poem…
LOVE blackberry preserves… & can eat a whole jar of bread & butter pickles… YUMMO!!!!
Have you ever read any of Cynthia Rylant’s books? They’re aimed toward children, but I love them just as much as my kids. One in particular, “when the relatives came” reminds me of your writing here! I want some “summertime” if you don’t mind.
On another note, I have 4 children (3 boys; 1 girl). My oldest sons (20, 18) are in college and my younger two in grade school. I’ve been doing this momma thing for a long time now and appreciate your willingness to make some “controversial” decisions regarding the “training up” of your children.
These years move swiftly. Make no apologies for passing onto them your “heart”; it is our mandate from God. Period. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 is the watchword of the Jewish faith; as a Christian, it’s mine as well, especailly as it pertains to raising my kids. Speak your faith to your children and then some. How can they learn the “language” without a teacher to teach them?
Soon enough, they will take the test on their own.
So glad to meet you. Blessings and peace as you move into the promising days of fall.
peace~elaine
“beauty only counts in county fairs and beauty pagents! ” That is funny!
Blackberry preserves are so good! I just love it.
Love this poem too Maryleigh! You are talented in so many ways. 🙂
Christy
LOL!
When I read the title of this post, I totally thought you were talking about a cell phone! My husband could use a blackberry hand-me-down, cuz he lost his.
Sooo….If you happen to come across any of those blackberry hand-me-downs, please let me know.
In the mean time, I suddenly have a craving for toast and jelly. Mmmmm. *grin*
You won a jam prize? That is so awesome! Now you can proudly tell anyone that you’re a winner. (as opposed to proclaiming that you’re a loser, which luckily you don’t have to do.)
What a great poem! Your preserves look delicious! 🙂
And you write poetry as well.
Is there anything that you can’t do?
I love summertime.
And your poem.
Sweet dreams.
As we remember 9 11 today, let us look up in hope for our redemption draws near!
I have dedicated my Sept 11 post to all my American friends.
Love
Lidj