on the hunt for snowberries
Each day when I take our No. 3 to school, I drive this pretty country road.
{you can’t tell here, but Mt.Rainier stands right about in the middle of the photo. It’s a pretty amazing view}.
On the other side of the road, I’ve been noticing these little white specks that I hoped were white berries.
This week, I finally remembered to bring my clippers and pulled over to take a peek.
Sure enough, they are wild berries. I called them winterberries until I did a bit of research and discovered that they are actually snowberries.
So I cut a bunch {feeling rather crazy as cars whizzed by} stuck them in a vase and they proudly sit on the coffee table.
Snowberries make for a festive and organic and slightly unruly arrangement.
I kind of love them.
The best things in life are free.
Well, not always. But if you’re talking about wild snowberries growing along the side of the country road, then yes.
Have yourself a merry little weekend.
michelle @ this little light
Those are beautiful! What a simple, yet stunning arrangement.
fasoolka
In my country Snowberries often grow close to home
Beautiful arrangement
Amanda
Those are so beautiful!
Claudia
They are so pretty! I hadn’t heard of snowberries, so I looked them up online. Wikipedia says they are an important winter food source for quail, pheasant and grouse but are considered poisonous to humans and can cause mild symptoms of vomiting, dizziness and slight sedation in children.
Kim @ Plumberry Pie
Emily, what a great find. Love those kind of moments! My husband and I were just in the Mt. Ranier area a few weeks ago – Woodinville, Seattle and Vancouver. So beautiful over there. I literally must have said, “it’s so pretty” about a hundred times while we there.
Anyhow, also just wanted to say that I always appreciate your posts. They are always so relatable to my life. So thanks. Have a wonderful holiday season!
Tiffany
I will be looking for these all weekend here in PA…hopefully they aren’t just out West.
katie
those are gorgeous! and the things we find for ourselves (by accident!) feel even better than otherwise. (too bad i live in florida and i’m positive that there are NO snowberries here EVER.)
Rachel
Those are so pretty!
I’m from Enumclaw and drove that road so many times! I loved seeing this picture this morning. I miss Washington(we live in idaho now).
beth
tis’ the season, i was driving my kids to school down our ‘country road’ yesterday and saw out of the corner of my eye, a girlfriend of mine pulled over on the side of the road, clippers in hand, taking cuttings of hawthorn branches (red berries) most likely for christmas decorating (though i haven’t had a chance to ask her about it) i wonder how many moms have done this lately? lot’s i bet!
Altered Amanda
Oh, we have red ones everywhere in S.C. but have never seen these white ones. Thanks for sharing this! Wonderful to find someone who does similar things. My mom taught me to admire the small beauty of life from childhood on! Merry Christmas!!!
Kim R
Those are so beautiful! So many times I see plants that I would love to clip and take home and just don’t stop and do it. The next time I do, I am going to think of your example and gather some of nature’s beauty to enjoy in my home. Thank you for the many ways you inspire me!
Catherine
Ha ha ha, that comment about your mother made me laugh out loud!
Catherine
Bother, that comment was for Elizabeth down below! oops…
elizabeth
I do the same thing every fall with Bittersweet – pilfered from the side of the road (or even behind the police station in town). And as my mother always says – a great florist always has her sharpest shears and a fast car.
Sarah
These are gorgeous!
Mellie
They are wonderful! albinoberries! When I lived in Denver my house was five houses away from the highline canal and I walked it every morning. At various times of the year you would see wild asparagus or violets and lilacs growing. One time walking with a friend she started twisting off some lilac branches. It seemed selfish to take flowers that could have been enjoyed by other hikers. But on the side of a country road- I’m in! I may put some pruning shears in my trunk now!!
Jessica
Ahhhh!!! We drive on that road often! We are almost neighbors- mt Rainer is right out our window! Not to sound stalker or anything!!! I didn’t think we had snowberrries!!
Kelsey
Those are sooo pretty! What a great find! I did some research on them and found that they are highly poisonous so just wanted to mention that in case they are in the kiddos reach. I love free pretties from the side of the road!
Sarah Barksdale Design
I did the same thing to a bush in my side yard! Mine were red berried, but I snipped a bunch to use to embellish my wrapping this year.
Ann
So lovely! They are such a beautiful white!
Jennie
I often spot flowers/berries along the road. Unfortunately, around here that’s usually someone’s property. Still, I think I may put a pair of clippers in the car….
Jean
We had bushes of these in front of our house in Maine! Growing up we’d pluck them off and POP them! Great fun
Katy Caldwell
I kind of love YOU! Sometimes the best things in life are free…like your blog!
Jill
I love the unruly part of them! Kind of like my family at times….some days all the time….unruly and kind of perfect all at the same time
Shannel
California is jealous!
Stacey
Those are so pretty!
Angela
I can’t begin to tell you how envious I am that you can see Mt. Rainier every day (well, at least when it’s clear) and that you have adorable little snowberries to pick on the side of the road.
I live in Houston, where it’s still in the 70′s and 80′s, humid, and there are no mountains to be found (unless you count the huge, highway interchanges!). I’ve been to Seattle once and spent a night in Longmire with a spectacular view of mt. rainier…one of the prettiest places I’ve ever been.
Chaney
How fun! Those are beautiful, and the free part is pretty awesome. Enjoy them!
Heather
I’m on the hunt!!!!
sara @ it's good to be queen
so pretty and festive! love it! happy weekend to you!
Marcy
So So pretty..
But….
Just a side note… they are poisonous to humans.
* TAKEN FROM WIKIPEDIA :Common Snowberry (S. albus) is an important winter food source for quail, pheasant, and grouse, but is considered poisonous to humans. The berries contain the isoquinoline alkaloid chelidonine, as well as other alkaloids. Ingesting the berries causes mild symptoms of vomiting, dizziness, and slight sedation in children.
Better Safe than sorry..
Your site is GREAT !!
kirsty
grew up with those (in montana) they were very fun as a child because when you stomp on them they make a fun popping sound. actually just cut a bunch down by my dads for a christmas wreath. love the way you think.
Tonya
Really! I drive that road everyday and I have not seen those… Of course it is usually dark both coming and going to work, which might be part of the problem… I will have to check them out tomorrow in the daylight. Thanks for the info. btw I love how you arranged yours.
Winnie
Hi Emily,
Hello! Are you based in Seattle? I just moved here 3 weeks ago so I am exploring around Seattle. I love your blog and the snowberries are so beautiful and at no cost too! How long would they last?
God bless,
Winnie
Catherine
Wow, I have never even heard of these. They look so pretty!
Sue Huls
Wish they grew in our area
Anniina Winter
Love snowberries, to bad they tend to like outdoors more then indoors:) But luckyly I found these “snoewberries” that ” grow” everywhere and lasts longer indoors then the real ones: http://blog.alwaysmod.com/2011/09/15/marimekko-lumimarja-strikes-again/
And they come in different shades also;)
Greetings from Finland:D and Happy Christmas,
Susan
I miss snowberry hunting – it was always a favorite pass time with my mom. I was so sad to discover that they really don’t grow where I lived. Then, I discovered the gorgeous Marlene Snowberry and, even better, I discovered that I could plant them in my yard! Hooray! (but I still miss the hunting).
Trish @TheOldPostRoad
Those are beautiful! We do not have those in Georgia.
-Trish