On Sunday Craig, Maya, Pete, and I went to Houghton-on-the-Hill to go foraging with our friends Pim, Simon, and their dog Rupert.
We were a little discouraged to learn that they don't have apple picking here in the English Midlands. It's such a fun fall activity, especially combined with all of the little activities that go along with apple picking (like cider, doughnuts, and hayrides). However, not a family to be shut inside during the fall season, we were determined to find some equivalent activity here in our neighborhood. When our friends Pim and Simon invited us to go blackberry picking, we thought, "Bingo!"
Here are a few pictures:
Craig, Maya, and Pim walking to the brambles. Pete is the white dot off in the distance.
Pete had a great time running through the freshly-plowed fields and rolling in badger poop. He couldn't handle the freedom though. We ended up having to leash him up a little while later after he ate (and later regurgitated) a dead mouse.
Jackpot! Here is what the blackberry brambles look like.
Craig, Maya, Pete, Pim, and Simon
The view. Pim says her foraging spot is top secret because it's one of the only places in the world where you can find these special mushrooms called "blue stockings" or something like that. So, shhhhhhhh.
Maya was wearing her berry hat in keeping with the foraging theme.
Hello.
This is my bucket. I was slacking big time so Simon and Pim kept dumping their buckets into mine.
Clearly pros at work.
This is Pete's buddy Rupert. Rupert moved to England from Australia, so when he gets together with Pete they share stories about world traveling.
Our first time picking mushrooms!
Oh, and as an added bonus I found my first English four-leaved clover while we were out foraging. Here's the lucky spot!
