The Story of August 2025

August has arrived with the wonderful blackberry image designed by our late father/ founder of The Dolphin Studio John ffrench is featured as this month's Dolphin Studio Calendar image.

The original print was part of the 1981 calendar.  When we combed through past calendars searching for the perfect image to re-print, the blackberries jumped out at us. The design in 1981 was made on a pinky red paper and printed in blue and yellow (shown below). After this unusually hot July here in the Berkshires, I am sure that the blackberry harvest will be plentiful this August.  

1981 vs. 2023

I have some blackberry fun facts for you…did you know that ~ Blackberries have the highest antioxidant content per serving of any food?  

Did you know that the Blackberry, is in fact, not a berry but a fruit with each section being its own fruit?  

Did you know that the Blackberry represents abundance and prosperity as they are plentiful and bountiful when in season?  

And last but not least, Blackberries are a symbol of resilience and strength as they are known for their ability to grow and thrive in harsh conditions.

After all this information I thought you might like to make some Small Batch Blackberry jam!  Here is a recipe for you to try out!  Let us know how your jam comes out!

Small Batch Blackberry Jam

INGREDIENTS

1lb blackberry (around 3 cups)
1 1⁄4cups sugar

1. In a non-reactive pan, mash the blackberries with a potato masher. Add the sugar and heat the contents over medium heat, stirring gently, until the sugar is dissolved. Raise the heat to medium-high and boil the mixture until a drop mounds in a chilled dish (this took around 10 minutes for me).
2. Pour the jam into a jar and cap the jar tightly. Store in the refrigerator. This jam should keep for several weeks.