Strawberry Fun

Strawberries are a summer favorite around here.

We have an entire garden bed devoted to them.

And this is OUR year for strawberries.

Apparently the strawberry plant is one that has its

best crop after a couple years of good growing.

The last few years have been...

"Who wants a bite of THE strawberry?" 

As all 8 of us crave a homegrown strawberry, that ONE cherished bite gets awfully small!  Even so, the excitement it

brings is contagious and that ONE tiny bite is

savored and giggled over.

So THIS year, the strawberry garden is huge, lush and towering with plants.  Then, suddenly, the knee high bushes bust forth with what feels like hundreds of gorgeous white flowers!  Talk about EXCITEMENT! The girls have been screaming in delight about the state of the strawberry bushes.  Of course in our excitement, we counted blooms and have estimated about 400 strawberries.  Just think, no more piddly little minuscule bites, but most likely a bowl full each!  

The beautiful blooms quickly turn to actual strawberries, and at the first sign of "Red" the WAR is on.  Yes, this is WAR!
We have much invested in these precious berries and we ALL want to eat them!
The war is against the bugs and birds! The plan is to place berry shaped rocks to deter the predators.

So we send our Little P to collect berry sized rocks
while I hunt down red paint.

 Now we have a family activity!
Yes, even the babies get to paint rocks, why not?