Blackberrying

It was a lovely sunny day today and Richard suggested that all the teddy bears should go out for a walk. Some of them weren't very keen because the weather was too hot, but to make things more fun, Scary suggested that they go blackberrying. The bears all love eating blackberries, and they could pick them as they walked, and use some later to make a pudding for their tea. That was just the excuse they needed and they were all suddenly very eager!

They found some plastic boxes to put the blackberries in, and an old walking stick, which they would use to pull down some of the higher blackberry branches so that they could reach them.

They also took some wet-wipes because the juice from the blackberries they picked is notorious for getting all over paws!

In the countryside, they chose a very quiet country lane, without much traffic - they didn't want their blackberries to taste of exhaust fumes! They spread out and walked along the lane until they found some blackberry bushes. You have to be really careful when picking blackberries - not only does the juice squish all over you, but the brambles they grow on have exceptionally sharp prickles on them, which need to be avoided at all costs! There were lots of 'Ouches' and 'Ows' as the bears picked.

Even though they found berries low down on some branches, they still weren't quite low enough for Tommy to pick. He looked all around to see if there was some way he could climb up to reach them, and he was very unhappy when he couldn't find a way. He started to cry - poor Tommy!

However, all was not lost! Boo very kindly came to his aid by offering to give him a lift, and Tommy managed to balance on the top of Boo's head and reach the berries! He was very happy then!

After Boo lowered Tommy back to the ground, Tommy noticed Boo's tummy was all covered in spots! What could have happened? Had he caught the measles? Actually, they weren't spots - they were sticky blobs off a plant which was growing near the brambles! Phew! That was good news - but then everyone tried to help Boo pull the blobs off his tummy, only to find they then stuck to their paws too! It took a very long time to get rid of them! They had to eat lots of blackberries to fortify themselves while they struggled!

When they arrived back home, they put all the berries together in a big bowl - there really were a lot - but there might have been quite a few more if some of the berries hadn't found their way into little mouths instead of into the boxes they'd taken (mentioning no names - Crackers and Custard!!)

That night they had hot blackberry and apple crumble for tea with lashings of ice cream melting over it. That was definitely yummy and well worth all the efforts they went to!!

Have a go at blackberrying yourselves. Take an adult with you, choose the quietest lane you can find and make sure you pack some plastic boxes to collect the blackberries in and some wipes or tissues for juice-covered hands, and try not to eat them all before you go home!