Berry Picking
Towards the end of the summer all the different kinds of summer berries will start to
ripen and be ready for picking. If you don’t have any bushes or berries in your back yard,
take a trip to a local berry picking farm and bring home some yummy and nutritious
snacks.
Most places that you can go berry picking advise you to bring your own bucket. Each
child should have a bucket of their own and depending on how many you want bring
extra buckets too. Strawberries and blueberries are the most popular pick your own
businesses. If you know a place where blackberries or raspberries grow wild (and they
aren’t on private property) take the family for a walk and pick those too.
When getting dressed to go to a berry patch, don’t wear clothing that you will be upset if
it gets stained. It can be hard to bend over the whole time and you are sure to find your
children sitting on the ground as they pick (and sample) the berries. Berries will be
everywhere and it is guaranteed they are going to get berry juice on their clothes.
Once you bring home the fruits of your labor give everything a good wash and decide
what to do with the berries. There are many options for eating berries. If you have
brought home too many you can freeze a portion in air tight containers or freezer bags.
Some eating suggestions:
* Sprinkled on top of an ice cream sundae
* Added to a morning bowl of cereal
* On their own with some milk or cream
* Baked in a pie
* In a crumble with oatmeal and brown sugar
Berry picking is a fun activity but since it is done outdoors in the summertime, be sure to
wear hats and put on sunscreen.
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The Climate of the Philippines is either tropical rainforest, tropical savanna or tropical monsoon, or humid subtropical (in higher-altitude areas) characterized by relatively high temperature, oppressive humidity and plenty of rainfall. There are two seasons in the country, the wet season and the dry season, based upon the amount of rainfall. This is dependent as well on your location in the country as some areas experience rain all throughout the year.
Based on temperature, the seven warmest months of the year are:
- from March to October; the winter monsoon brings cooler air
- from November to February
- May is the warmest month
- January, the coolest
Climate types
There are four recognized climate types in the Philippines, and they are based on the distribution of rainfall (See the Philippine Climate Map). They are described as follows:
Type I. Two pronounced season: dry from November to April and wet during the rest of the year.
Type II. No dry season with a pronounced rainfall from November to January.
Type III. Seasons are not very pronounced, relatively dry from November to April, and wet during the rest of the year.
Type IV. Rainfall is more or less evenly distributed throughout the year.
Humidity
Relative humidity is high in the Philippines. A high amount of moisture or vapor in the air makes hot temperatures feel hotter. This quantity of moisture is due to different factors - the extraordinary evaporation from the seas that surrounds the country on all sides, to the different prevailing winds in the different seasons of the year, and finally, to the abundant rains so common in a tropical country. The first may be considered as general causes of the great humidity, which is generally observed in all the islands throughout the year. The last two may influence the different degree of humidity for the different months of the year and for the different regions of the Archipelago.
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