Today, I picked up my very first Flexcar. I am on the plan where I pay a monthly fee of $9.00, and get three free hours. Every hour after that is $9.00 per hour. For that amount I get the car, upkeep, gas and insurance. I reserved this Hybrid and picked it up four blocks from my house.
Driving the car I'm happy not to own....
My plan was to go to the Pumpkin Patch on Sauvie's Island to pick some raspberries and marionberries. Even though I love to eat raspberries, I find picking them fairly unfulfilling, as they are small and it takes a long time to fill one crate. I love picking marionberries, because they fill up fast. I didn't have as much time to pick as I usually do (drat that three free hours) so I had to cut my picking short after one flat of raspberries and one of marionberries. I bought the rest in the market.
Marionberries are also fun because they stain your hands a lovely shade of purple.
This was my improvised picking bucket. I strapped it around my waist and, for the first time, was able to pick with both hands. This worked well until the small strip of plastic holding up the whole contraption broke, spilling a bunch of raspberries on the ground. Then I was back to holding a pint in one hand while picking with the other. I'll refine the design for next year.
I bought a box of day-old blueberries and 20 pounds of cherries. The cherries were from Hood River and they were cheaper than the u-pick cherries I got last year.
It's a lazy summer for food preserving, so I just froze everything. I pitted the cherries, though. I love pitting cherries. It's has the satisfaction popping zits, but with a much more delicious result.
The gore! The gore! Cherry juice everywhere!
Driving the car I'm happy not to own....
My plan was to go to the Pumpkin Patch on Sauvie's Island to pick some raspberries and marionberries. Even though I love to eat raspberries, I find picking them fairly unfulfilling, as they are small and it takes a long time to fill one crate. I love picking marionberries, because they fill up fast. I didn't have as much time to pick as I usually do (drat that three free hours) so I had to cut my picking short after one flat of raspberries and one of marionberries. I bought the rest in the market.
Marionberries are also fun because they stain your hands a lovely shade of purple.
This was my improvised picking bucket. I strapped it around my waist and, for the first time, was able to pick with both hands. This worked well until the small strip of plastic holding up the whole contraption broke, spilling a bunch of raspberries on the ground. Then I was back to holding a pint in one hand while picking with the other. I'll refine the design for next year.
I bought a box of day-old blueberries and 20 pounds of cherries. The cherries were from Hood River and they were cheaper than the u-pick cherries I got last year.
It's a lazy summer for food preserving, so I just froze everything. I pitted the cherries, though. I love pitting cherries. It's has the satisfaction popping zits, but with a much more delicious result.
The gore! The gore! Cherry juice everywhere!
Wow! I have been looking forward to this promised post! The flex car is great (Shawn asks, first thing, if you used us as a referral...that man!). I really miss not owning our own car. Not that I don't love our little hybrid. But, with daily use needed, I suppose ownership is better for us at this point (please read better as cheaper).
ReplyDeleteAnd oh the berries. I have not seen such loveliness on this side of the coast. I'm sure if we went looking...but I just don't think there are much better berries than those grown in the NW (especially OR and WA). So nice for you to enjoy through the winter!!! :) -S