OUR INSPIRATION
The highlight of Grandma Gwen’s summer was the arrival of her beloved grandchildren and the two weeks they spent together in her cottage nestled between the blueberry patch and the bay. The adventurous spirit of her grandson, Milo and the energetic curiosity of her granddaughter, Mabel was welcome and encouraged. She enjoyed sharing her fondness of this special place she called home with those she loved the most. Every year, they made lasting memories together exploring the shoreline and its natural abundance, witnessing breathtaking sunrises and sunsets, and indulging the variety of recipes that a blueberry inspires. Lost in thought as she contemplated the joy her grandchildren brought with them, in preparation of their arrival, she decided to bake a blueberry cobbler and plan for a special dinner on the beach.
In eager anticipation of their annual trip, Milo and Mabel count the days between Memorial Day and Independence Day, when they would be with their grandmother again. Reminiscing conjured up memories of barefooted freedom, endless days spent at the beach and in the water, sustaining solely on picnic lunches, ice cream treats, and the bowls of fresh blueberries they picked for themselves. If they closed their eyes and focused for a few moments, they could catch a hint of the salty, sea air as they inhaled; feel the juice of the berries crushed on their tongues; and glimpse a sensation of warmth from the affectionate embrace of Grandma Gwen’s arms wrapped around them together—the best feeling of all.
The quintessential summer days that Grandma Gwen, Milo and Mabel shared were some of the most treasured times of their lives. The children would return year upon year, always together. Their grandmother would mark the children’s yearly growth by the amount of blueberries each consumed, how much farther they could swim out to sea, and the increased wideness of her hugs around their tanned frames. No matter the inevitable physical changes of her growing grandchildren, their time together remained a constant, their adventures persisted in joyfulness, the bay was as bright and clear as ever, the beach picnics always a given, the blueberries continuously ripe and delicious, and the compilation of summer memories created together in the cottage between the bay and the berry patch were, still, the best summer treasure of all.