Back in Nickerson, Kansas, we had Currant bushes. They grew along the fence between our chicken pen and the neighbors pig pen. Every spring that whole fence would be lined with the light green bushes with tiny yellow flowers. Ever eat a Currant? If you pick them to green they will pucker your mouth and that is not good. If you wait long enough they will turn a dark, dark purple and then they are ready. Not much better as I recall, but at least you could eat them. They are about the size of a pea. I think now I can go to the health food store and buy them dried and snack on them or make some sort of healthy bread.
The neighbors have a stand over there and I see one has come up in my back yard along with the wild garlic. I like to keep the area directly west of the house as a wild area. I also have a Choke Cherry bush which has spread to cover a good area. In the late Summer I gather enough Choke Cherries to make a batch of jelly and then let the birds have the rest.
Now, what do Currants and Choke Cherries have in common with a Gooseberry? Gooseberry is the all around winner as "things no human should ever eat!" My mother-in-law had a Gooseberry patch in her back yard and it was a rule that we must all pick a bucket of Gooseberries and make a pie once a year. I took Bret and Shelly over to pick and explained to them that if the Gooseberry had a bit of dark color that would be best. First obstacle is that Gooseberry bushes have very long sharp thorns. I figured they would be bloody messes, but they were very careful. Their hands were small so they could pick a berry without being stabbed. Then to my horror I looked over and they were picking them and EATING them! My, God! I figured they would be in bed with a bellyache the rest of the Summer.
And then the occasional wild Lilac bush has popped in also. This one is beside a wild Red bud tree. I have 10 Lilacs around my house.
And the New Mexico Sunflowers are about to take the place. Can not lay my hands on that photo, but if I ever turn up missing look for me under them. SoI am now off to do whatever it is I do all day.
You'all have a good one!
