Huckleberries and one clumsy Mumma

This weekend I had another berry picking experience. I do love huckleberries. We decided to go later in the evening, my girls and I. We went into the trees searching for the mother load of berries. We had 2 dogs with us as we were in heavy bear country, obviously the bears like berries too! I didn't realise though that dogs like huckleberries, and dogs will always find the mother load first. So the moral of the story is, follow the dogs. I wish I could have taken a photo of the seemingly endless bushes, loaded with berries and us trying to pick quickly so that the dogs did not devour them all first. It was a happy time, fingers stained with purple, chatting and laughing. Then those dark, dark clouds rolled in above us and threatened to ruin our fun. We decided to stay through the sprinkling rain, not wanting to leave this heavenly place. But then it started to get heavier and the lightening started to flash across the sky. We made a dash for the truck through the fallen logs and think brush. I have to say, I am not sure exactly when it happened but I have really become a big klutz! I was falling and tripping but all the time being very aware not to spill my very full bucket. No, I was not going to make the same mistake as last time. I ran back along the road to the truck, being the first to arrive I thought I would pack up the tailgate and get things organised. I placed my bucket lovingly down and moved the cooler and .....well, I bet you can guess what happened! Yes, my bucket was knocked to the ground and sprayed across the dusty road, to the sounds of my screaming "Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo".

The girls presently arriving back to the truck did what all good friends would do - laugh. And watch me scramble to pick them up. Oh dear, is this aging or have I just hide my clumsy nature all these years, really, really well?! The good news is I was able to rescue almost all the huckleberries, albeit a little dirtier than they started.

I think I could muster one more picking session this year and hopefully, you know, third time lucky, I will make it home without dropping my precious bucket! Wish me luck!!!!!

My beautiful stash of frozen berries....mmmmmm......