Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 28144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 141(@200wpm)___ 113(@250wpm)___ 94(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 141(@200wpm)___ 113(@250wpm)___ 94(@300wpm)
Along our path, he was pointing out plants and trees, showing me which ones were poisonous and should be avoided. He said he never wanted me in the woods alone, but it was still good information to know.
“See these three leaves?” Daddy asked, motioning to each pointed blade. “That’s how you can tell it’s poison ivy. If you touch it, it will make you very itchy. Remember this rhyme; if it has leaves of three, let it be.”
I repeated the saying with a nod. I liked having something to help me remember. He’d taught me about so many plants, I didn’t know how he kept them all straight in his head. “You’re so smart. How did you learn about all of this stuff?”
“My dad taught me a lot about the land, and the rest, I’ve picked up over the years. I’ve been around for a very long time.” I knew Daddy was an old bear, but I didn’t see him that way. I only saw him as perfect. I didn’t care how old he was. “Come over here, Taterbug; I’ll show you something I think you’ll like.”
He took my hand and led me to a tall pile of twisted vines, pointing out roots covering my path so I didn’t trip. “This is a wild blackberry bush. The fruit is gone for the fall, but during the summer, the berries grow as big as the tip of my thumb. I harvest many of them every year.”
My mouth watered at the thought. “I can’t wait to try some next summer.”
“You won’t have to wait that long; I’ve got a couple of bags of them in the freezer. We can thaw some out to eat. If you want, we can even make a pie together.”
“Oh, that sounds like fun! I love pie! I-” my words trailed off when I noticed movement within the bush. I leaned in to get a closer look, and shrieked when I saw a snake winding around a branch. I leapt at Daddy, who easily caught me in his arms. “Watch out, Daddy! A snake! Run!”
But he didn’t run; he stayed still and caressed his hand up and down my back. “It’s okay; this little guy won’t hurt you.”
I lifted my head, unburying my face from his chest, to look back at the slithering critter. “Is it a shifter?” I would now wonder about any animal I came in contact with.
Daddy chuckled and eased me down onto my own feet. “No, he’s a regular snake; a garter snake, to be exact. They aren’t venomous, and harmless to humans. Actually, people like having these little guys in their gardens because they eat the pests that destroy plants.”
“I didn’t know there were helpful snakes.” I thought they were all bitey and gross.
“There sure are. There are also snakes that can be harmful, so it’s always smart to be respectful of the creatures. But even if a snake is venomous, they typically won’t bother you unless you bother them.”
I leaned in a little closer - but not too close - to the critter. “I’m sorry I was scared of you, Mr. Snake. Thanks for helping the blackberries.”
Daddy chuckled again and kissed the side of my head before removing the backpack he carried. He placed it on the ground and took out a camera, which he pointed at the snake.
“You’re taking its picture? I guess it is…kind of cute.”
“Keeping track of animals and their behavior patterns is part of my job,” he explained as he snapped a few photos. “It’s a little late in the year for this breed of snake to be active; around this time, they typically go into brumation, which means they get sluggish and hide away from the cold. Since he’s still slithering around, it could signal a temperature change in the climate. I’ll document it, and compare it to photos from years past and then in the future.” My jaw dropped. I was in total awe of Daddy’s big brain.
He replaced his camera and asked, “Are you getting hungry? I packed some snacks for us.”
I nodded. We’d been walking a long time, and my pancakes had worn off. He pulled a small, folded blanket from his bag and spread it out over the ground. He thought of everything.
Daddy helped me sit down onto the blanket, but as soon as he sat next to me, I climbed onto his lap. It was my favorite seat in the world. He pulled out a baggie full of trail mix, a bottle of water, and a string cheese.
When he opened the bag of trail mix, I didn’t reach for any; I just dropped my jaw open. Daddy gave me a knowing smile before feeding me the yummy mix of nuts, raisins, and chocolate candies. I loved when he fed me, because he was taking care of my most basic needs. And because I felt spoiled and special.