Sunday Afternoon on Bristol’s Hills

High above the city...

Looking down on church spires and houses...

there are the first blackberries to be picked...

a few early plums...

but mostly berries...

Now I’ve got to make the jam….

13 thoughts on “Sunday Afternoon on Bristol’s Hills”

  2. Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

    I can’t remember if I’ve left a comment already, but I’ve looked at this post several times already today, admiring your picturesque countryside. And those magnificent blackberries! Can’t wait to see what you do with them all!

  3. Joanna @ Zeb Bakes Post author

    @ Celia and @ Brydie

    They are destined for jam, I was thinking about making fruit leather, because I like the picture in ‘Preserves’ but I’m not sure right now. No good making traditional apple and blackberry pies as I’d be the only one eating them. Mr Allergy doesn’t eat blackberries, though, as you can see, he photographs them from a safe distance, and likes shouting, “Good ones over here!”

    I just like getting tiny thorns in the soft underside of my arms, ow, ouch! and going slightly cross eyed with concentration – it’s a ‘being in the zone’ sort of activity, picking blackberries :)

  4. Christine

    Gorgeous basket of berries! It’s always so hard to stop picking though, isn’t it? Just a bit further.. there’s a big juicy cluster..oh, and a little bit more that way..even bigger ones. That’s always my weakness.

  5. heidiannie

    Beautiful post, Joanna!
    I can feel the heat on the back of your neck and smell the different weeds being tramped under feet as you reach into the brambles. A light wind blows in off the hills, the flies and mosquitoes are busy all around you and as each berry stain your fingers you are having a foretaste of the jelly to come.
    (Maybe my weather isn’t right for your area- sorry, I was having a vicarious blackberry daydream from your pictures!:)

  6. Joanna @ Zeb Bakes Post author

    Few flies and mosquitos up there, thank goodness Heidiannie, no standing water for the mossies up on Purdown.

    But it was warmish up there yesterday. And there is little cover, hence the hat! It was the site of the anti-aircraft battery in WW2 and it is littered with concrete footings where the guns were placed. History all around if you know what you are looking at and swathes of blackberries everywhere.

  7. Dan

    All those berries! Just beautiful, Jo. And the outlook… What a lovely way to spend the day.

  8. Joanna @ Zeb Bakes Post author

    They have been transmogrified into jelly today, Dan! Cross fingers I got a good set. I’ll write a little post about it soon.

    I love looking out across the city to Dundry (the hills on the other side) and getting a big sky for once. Bristol’s streets are very narrow and often there is only a small window of sky when you look up and you feel hemmed in a bit, it’s good to be able to look out and across where you live, a change of view; a new perspective, all good!

  9. In a Welsh Garden

    Fabulous piccies – says it all . Love foraging too . There is a lane just down from where we are & I usually get a lot of elderberries & sloes from there . . . three guesses what we do with the sloes then ? : D

    Have you got the book ‘Food for Free’ pub. by Collins ? (I am guessing Yes , as it is so well known ). . . LOVE this book , always take it with me on my travels. .

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