Harvest Time

BOOTS - check; GLOVES - check; SNACKS - check; MONEY - check; CELL PHONE - check; DIRECTIONS - check; WEATHER REPORT - check (maybe); BAGS - Is plastic OK?

We have 3 hours before piano lessons. It should not take us much over an hour total driving time. Let's do it. Hug the hubby goodbye. Just Memaw, Mother, and three girls will be on this adventure.

The weather people are all saying the "high overcast" will burn off before the day ends and zero chance of rain. The autumnal colors have changed from dull yellow to brilliant reds and crisp oranges with touches of pinks, lavendars, and vibrant gold - a perfect day for a ride in the country.

We know to expect squirrels. That is a major factor in why we are having to make this trip. When the trees in Patty's yard start to produce, the local squirrels call their relatives and friends and pluck the tree's product while still green on the tree, leaving not a morsel for the rightful owner. So, we head for an entire grove of trees in a remote part of the county, expecting to be overtaken by critters.

True to his word the owner is waiting in his yard. It has been over 10 years since John and I discovered the ad in the newsaper. That year, we took his mother and a lad who had recently learned he was going blind. We picked only that one year, but our memory was rekindled recently when taking a country drive. We remembered the fruit of the trees as being plentiful and, best of all, ressonbly priced.

We ladies should have brought a wheelbarrow or wagon. Buckets would have been a great idea, too. Now that we are at our destination, we wonder if the crop has been picked over. Will there be any left for us? The owner leads us along a path to the terminal for the electric fence. The first step onto the path answers any question of "plenty." Each and every step I take, I can feel the snap underfoot and hear the crackling shell. I want to stop and pick them up but must keep pace with our leader.

Contest rules are set: "Whoever fills their bags first, wins a dollar." After hearing the discussion on the other team about which is the cutest and seeing some mighty tiny ones, a new contest is added, "whoever picks the biggest, wins a dollar. Put your biggest choice in your pocket."

In one hour's time, we gleaned 80 pounds of walnuts. We did not see a single squirrel but watched in disbelief the neighbors' dogs stirring enormous numbers of black birds from their roost.

Now the real fun begins - drying the nuts then shelling them.