Strawberry fields forever

I'm so glad that my Silicon Valley-stripmall-sidewalk-SUV-strangerphobic-suburban kids have grandparents that live in the countryside. The English countryside, no less. Where you have winding lanes and open fields. Where tractors share the road with Toyotas. Where the back gate opens up into a forest. Where people really do need to walk around in wellingtons. Where everyone in town knows everyone else. Coming here is literally a breath of fresh air.

One of the joys of country life: berry picking (I do have to stick up for Silicon Valley on this one: Palo Alto's Webb Ranch, with their small but succulent patch of u-pick berry fields, is just 10 minutes away from our home) . Note the lush English countryside, with its rolling hills and dales, in the background.


Can you think of a caption for this photo?

Sweeeeet.

Berry good!

Can I pop this into my mouth without getting caught?


Can you believe it, this city girl has never seen strawberries growing out of the ground. They pack straw all around the berries -- Duh, so that's how it gets its name?


There's nothing like having a bowl of luscious, ripe berries, bursting with flavor, that were growing in the ground just minutes before you pop them into your much-deprived mouth.