Rural Gardening: Adventures on Dirt Rich Farm (City goes Country), 1 by Hineni

Hineni wrote:
So, with the forr...errr garden approximately 1/3 'weeded', I decided to go to the spring to get just a little more water. Just carried them this time, too tired to maneuver the wheelbarrow down Rod Serling's path again. And I spied.....ripe blackberries! So I took off my bandana and went up and down the hillside gathering fresh blackberries. A wonderful, sweet and happy ending of the day...right? Well yes, if it was in someone else's life :)

While I was happily picking blackberries with my pupslippers on, my jack was exploring. He loves to do that, leaping about the weeds like a jackrabbit. He disappeared. He didn't come when I called him. I was too tired to panic and figured he would show up when we headed towards the house. He did, following along behind us, which should have clued me in but hey, I'm exhausted, okay? Carrying water, fresh blackberries I'm trying not to squish, wearing great pyrenees pupslippers, down Rod Serling's path. I make it to the house with everything intact, no accidents, no losses. Gate closed and locked. Whew.

I go into the house with the jack and the berries and I stop dead in my tracks. What IS that smell. Check both boots (three dogs, lotsa poop). Boots are clean. Hmmm. The jack is shaking and....this aroma, this...smell is permeating the living room. I look at him. He is green and brown (not normal jack colors if you don't know). HE'S COVERED IN HORSE POOP, FRESH HORSE POOP AND HE'S IN MY HOUSE....AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Down go the berries on the book case and out the door he goes.

Now, I normally wash the dog in the tub, when we lived in the city. Sorry, horsepoop pup is not sharing my tub. So I'm thinking, and thinking. And he's getting riper by the moment, because now it is raining and he's damp and covered in horse poop. I spy....a bucket full of spring water. I remember I have dog shampoo on my desk. So the jack gets an outdoor, springwater bath and now smells like...lavendar. Much better. Except. Me. Holding a wet dog covered in horse poop who does NOT want a cold springwater bath outside in front of G-d and everybody, tends to transfer the aroma to oneself. Sigh. Well, I was dirty anyway, I just didn't stink before. Grab the berries, wash and place in fridge while trying not to breathe, and get my own bath.

So here are the berries that started this adventure. They don't smell. I will eat them for breakfast :)

This message was edited Jul 13, 2008 11:41 PM