Strawberry Fields Forever

 An abundance of red-ripened strawberries plucked from the ground to fill summer-ready bellies!

Strawberry picking always kicks off the season of picking fresh berries and fruit for the year. It's a hint of summertime goodness and the excitement of warmer weather almost upon us after a winter hibernation. We have been picking strawberries since the first spring Pete and I were married. And every year it's been sweeter as our children have joined us and share in the joy. Their personalities shine in the strawberry fields, exclaiming with the delight over each berry picked, this one better than the last. 

With our bounty, we topped all the foods, made a strawberry simple syrup, and just enjoyed the berries straight from the bucket. They were all devoured within a few days' time. I don't believe any strawberry is as delicious as the one picked straight from the plant - so sweet and warm from the sun. It's perfection!

I hope they always cherish these traditions, looking forward to the adventure every time just as I do. Our fruit picking always means a long weekend stay away at the grandparents' too, provoking a countdown to the early morning departure weeks out. It's turned into a really special moment of time that we get to steal away together as a family of five. I know these years are fleeting, going by just as quickly as the strawberry ripens.