No berries for you

By Jamie Rieger

I know it is a little late in the year to be complaining about how cold last winter was, but that’s what I’m going to do anyway. A couple weeks ago, an acquaintance was telling me how her various berry bushes are not producing as they should and she suspects winter kill is the culprit.

I was so looking forward to taking my granddaughter out to pick a bucket of berries this summer, but it looks like that might not be happening, unless we can find anouther berry patch not too far away.

The other night as I sat on my front step, the little girl from next door (Alfreda), came by on her bike and visited with me. She asked how come the big bush in the front yard did not bloom and has no berries. Oh my, I’ve been so busy lately, I didn’t even notice what was going on (or not) in front of me (literally). Last year, the bush was filled with such pretty pink blossoms and if you didn’t mind the swarm of bees, you could get close enough for a photo or two.

Not so this year. No blossoms, no berries, and at least, no bees. As Alfreda chatted to me, I looked at that bush and wondered if our local birds are going to have to look for other sources of nourishment this summer. Come to think of it, I haven’t been woken up at Stupid O’Clock in the morning once this spring by a nattering magpie. Coincidence?

We survived the winter of 2013-14, but it seems our berry bushes have not been as fortunate.

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