I suppose August is for blueberries also but July is when the wild blueberries are first ready to be picked on mountain peaks, rocky knolls and pine needle covered (with lots of sun) forest floors.

Why am I always surprised by this each year? Maybe because I don't want to believe it's already July, the time of the ripening blueberries and the end of wild strawberries. August follows July and after that of course comes September and then summer is a memory. Ack! I'm not going there yet but maybe that's why I never expect the blueberries to be ready when they are because blueberries are starting to taste like the end of summer.

But it's not the end yet! It's still the middle and when it's not raining (it's been a very rainy summer here in Maine) the days are lovely. Especially on the top of a mountain with a breeze cooling your back and blowing all the mosquitos and blackflies away. Sometimes the hike up the mountain isn't so lovely. When there isn't a breeze and all the rain gathers in little pools making for a bug breeding heaven. But the view at the top with an unlimited feast of blueberries and a stop at a waterfall on the way back down make up for it. Even the kids would agree.

Pleasant Mountain in Denmark/Bridgton, ME. A relatively easy (with enough challenges for children) 4.8 mi. out and back with access to the Needles Eye waterfall. We took the Southwest Ridge Trail on this mountain earlier this year but never did make it to the fire tower because of deep snow and tired little kid legs. And although the bugs were not an issue there definitely wasn't blueberries then but we did find Easter bunny scat!