inhale...exhale...relax your shoulders...repeat as often as needed

Thursday, October 8, 2009

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?

4 comments:

  1. Gorgeous photos. Love the beach textures. Took my breath away. And the cranberries were an extra treat. I never really understood how cranberries grew. How fun to see the machines too. Great post. Thanks!

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  2. Oh and you're so right about the AG stacked wood! Really gorgeous.

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  3. How much do I love cranberries???

    MORE THAN WORDS CAN DESCRIBE!

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  4. love 'em.... use them all year round in the form of dried or frozen. I like them in biscotti and muffins especially....and, at the festive season, I like to do some chutney with fresh berries for gifts...and to eat ourselves.... yum......

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