Porcelain Berries

I can't believe the incredible colors of these berries...it's too bad they are an invasive plant.

A close up of Benjamin's photo

I have referenced porcelain berries a couple of times....so it's time to tell the story.  

I was visiting my friend Gail on Martha's Vineyard and we went to a craft show. Something caught my eye across the lawn....I had to get a closer look.  The colorful orbs just glowed from a distance and drew me right in.  We had a great conversation with Benjamin McCormick, the artist, and since I ended up buying the photo...he told us where on the island he took the picture.  Gail and I checked it out...and at that time the berries were just green.  I actually considered going back in the fall to see them in their full glory.

Benjamin's photograph lives in my downstairs bathroom in Lexington and compliments my paper tubes quite nicely.  

The story would be good enough if it ended there....but it gets even better.  I had never even heard of porcelain berries until I bought this photo.  But just a month or so after I bought it I was walking with my friends Anita and Janet and we came across a whole tangled beautiful mess of porcelain berries.  I couldn't believe it.  We walked by several times that fall to see their progress and I took tons of pictures. I just can't believe the variety of colors that are on one branch.