a day well spent

the tide was low, so ra and i went for a walk 

on the beach after breakfast.

the sand was etched by water and wind.

the sky was clear after yesterday's wild winds,

and the gulls were arguing over what had washed up in the night.

then we worked on splitting and stacking more firewood.

doug and ra have quite the andy goldsworthy look going here!

you might be able to see the flooded cranberry bogs in the background.

at harvest time, the bogs are flooded, 

causing the berries to float to the top of the water for easier picking.

here's some handsome machinery.

the berries and vines and leaves are separated, 

the berries go up this ladder like contraption, 

as the berries drop from the ladder-like belt, 

rotten and small ones fall into a bucket,

and the good berries end up on these belts 

for even more careful hand sorting. 

this variety is called the "christmas cranberry" and 

they will continue to ripen while in refrigerated storage.

i drove home to ct with a bag full of cranberries picked just yesterday.

and now i am weary.

but what a good visit i had with my mumsie 

and brother doug and sister-in-law, ra.

how much do you love cranberries?