Four years ago we planted 8 blueberry bushes in our back yard. The following Spring, we picked only a few berries because the plants were still small, but nonetheless, it was a preview of things to come. In the Spring of 06, the plants were covered with blossoms, and the bees were busy doing their thing. We were looking forward to a rich harvest, but the birds had other ideas. They filled their tummies without regard for us! So when I retired last year, I put bird netting all around the plants. And the blossoms bloomed. And the bees got busy. And Mother Nature sent a freaky frost in April that killed everything.

This year was a different story. Everything went just the way Mother Nature intended. The blossoms covered the plants. The bees showed up. And we started picking blueberries in June. I took this picture just a couple of hours ago.

Over the years, we've had to replace most of the plants, but 3 of the original ones have survived. If the other 5 plants mature and produce like those first 3, we'll be giving the neighbors all the blueberries they can want.