Donowutt County: Redtail's Story

Chap's 16-20

Redtail gave a little laugh, "I just pictured Grandpa George quizzing me on the differences between those berries."

Lena said, "Why don't we humor him and quiz ourselves?"

Redtail said, "Yeah, OK, raspberries and dewberries have round stems and blackberry has a grooved stem –at least the wild ones. You're next."

Lena smiled, "Raspberries are ripe around Memorial Day and Blackberries start around the 4th of July or later with dewberries in between. OK, you go."

Redtail continued, "Raspberries and blackberries are on upright or arched canes and dewberries are low, sprawling ground-huggers. Your turn."

Lena said, "Ripe raspberries come off the plant like thimbles or stocking caps or little cups. Anyway, the berry core is left on the plant, while dewberries and blackberries come off core and all. Hmm. Is there more?"

They both rode quietly for a few seconds and Redtail blurted out, "Oh! Raspberry and dewberry have three leaflets and blackberry often has five."

Lena added, "They're all spelled different, too."

Both smiled and rolled their eyes.

Lena said, "I gotta get you out to the Bumpy Log some night to meet more of the gang. I think you'd like it. George is even a semi-regular out there."

"What's the bumpy log?" asked Redtail.

"It's our social club," explained Lena. "It's out in Nowhere –right in the middle, actually. Why it's pronounced Now-Here is kind of a fun story, but it's right in line with Missouri's Ne-VAY-da (Nevada) and Ver-SAILS (Versailles). We can tell you the place name tale when you visit –sort of dangling a carrot for you."

"Sounds like a tasty carrot, too. I love the lore behind this area. The museum in town is gonna be a hang-out for me."

Lena said, "Oh no! You gotta come out to the club to get the story. It just wouldn't be same getting it from the museum."

"Well," said Redtail, "I'll try to be patient. My communication network isn't real effective, so it might not be easy to schedule stuff."

"I know where you live. We'll work out something. Shoot. It looks like we're here. You game for berry picking?"

Redtail said, "I'd love to, and actually need to, but I gotta get other stuff arranged before it rains. Can I get a literal rain-check?"

Lena said, "Sounds good. I'll hunt you down soon."

"Thank you so much for the ride," said Redtail. "Ah! There's another raindrop now. Excellent timing!"

Redtail hopped out of Lena's car, grabbed her stuff and they exchanged waves. Redtail headed out to her new camp and Lena departed for Perry's Bend.

*** Chapter 17 ***

George hadn't returned from his Big River program, so Redtail had the quiet place to herself. She went to the new wet-weather site and stood. She folded her arms and tried to arrange her thoughts.

Redtail smiled as she imagined a T-ball coach yelling, "Line up!" to a bunch of four to six year old kids. The coach gives an exasperated laugh and rounds the kids up one-by-one.

"OK, you stand right here. This is an important job. You're the line-leader."

One little girl looks up from her mound of dirt she'd been playing with and whined, "I wanted to be line-leader!"

"Here, you stand right here and be Assistant Line-Leader."

The coach caught another and said, "Now you stand here –Come back! Yes, I know it's a bug, but you have to be number three."