The gift of blueberries

On Jake's second birthday, way back in March, my mom gave him a blueberry bush as a gift. 

Patiently we watered it, talked to it, placed it on the sunniest spot on our patio - and waited.  We waited through the cold and rainy month of April, the cloudy and still cold May, and our soggy June.  Each day we'd check it, at first praising the little white flowers that bloomed, then counting out all the little green nubs that would be blueberries one day.  Jake and his Oma nurtured that little bush until finally we woke up one day and were rewarded with this:

Our first, big, blue and juicy blueberry. 

It didn't last long. Jake got so excited, and what with patience not being a terribly easy thing for a two year old, he rewarded himself by plucking this juicy morsel from its place within seconds of me snapping those pictures and popping it into his mouth. 

Then we moved to our new Island, and the summer heat collided perfectly with blueberry season to produce this:

It has been the very best gift for Jake, and he has learned so much about patience and care from this little bush.  It will grow with him over the years, each season bringing a new promise of colour and fruit.  He has gotten a lot out of it already, more than just fat and juicy blueberries. But mostly during this time of distance and change, it serves a reminder for Jake right now, of the thoughtful and loving Oma who gave it to him. 

Thanks Oma!