A Blackberry Mug and Rose-Hip Soup

Today I went to a Arts and Crafts Fair that had vendors from around Oregon, etc. Fabulous and so much fun. Decided it was a perfect place to shop for my Mom's birthday coming right up and found her some neat things. My favorite is this blackberry mug from Hilda Kidd-Wiesenmeyer of Fishbowl Pottery. A beautiful hedgerow-style mug this is, all ready to drink tea or sangria punch out of. I loved all her items, especially the lamps. Lovely for the nature inspired decorator.
Blackberries are so happening in our summer here on the coast. The berries will be ready in August. They make some fine hedgerow plants if you don't mind the thorns. You can let them grow at will in a back area of your land, but watch them and keep them trimmed up or uh-oh, take over time. If you let them grow too much you need to borrow a goat or three to chew them up, ha!
A friend of mine made some wild rose-hip soup with wild ginger, wild onions and rosehips that was soooooo incredibly good. It was clear, brothy and beautiful, almost pinkish and tasted like a food that soaks right in to the core of the body to nourish. He is a local chef known as the Wild Gourmet and had a booth at the fair today with lovely sea vegetables, wild pickings, mushrooms and the ingredients for the soup for sale.