Joyful cherries

I had nearly forgotten that it was time to check for ripe cherries on the small bush in my front yard, when I passed it on my way to have a walk last week.  The walk was dispensed with when I saw that the 2-foot plant was bursting with sweet, dark red cherries about 1/2 inch in diameter.  Oddly, they were all on branches that lay on the ground, but still easy enough to pick.

(Yes, that is creeping juniper you see in the photo.  The bush cherry is part of my front landscaping.  It will eventually reach 3 feet in height, and the spring flowers are just as pretty as those of any other cherry.)

I'm pretty sure that this cherry is the 'Joy' variety developed by Dr. Elwyn Meader; it's self-fruitful, unlike its cousin 'Jan,' and I've only got the one.  Naturally I have lost the receipt. :)

Most of the fruit ripens at the same time, so I was able to nearly strip the bush.  This came to about 2 cups of fruit, or 1 cup plus after I'd pitted them.  (The cherries are just large enough for an ordinary cherry pitter.)  Dessert! I thought, and so I made:

Cherry cobbler.

I'll have to get a lot more bushes if I want a harvest large enough to preserve, but for now it's nice to have a July surprise in my front yard.