Memories.

Hiding in the big Forsythia bush, reading a book, in my Secret spot. 

Walking with Dad in the field, the grass coming up to his knees, and my chest.

The power being out, and Mom and I "camping" in the trailer, because we could have heat.  (Tomato soup and hot dogs, too!)

The smell of my Grandpa E's Roses, when we went to Portland to visit, while listening to jets take off overhead, since they were in the flight path of the Portland Airport.

Squirreling up in the hay bales, playing with the kittens, watching the cows come in and nose the hay and grain in the manger.

Grandma E letting me butter toast for the family breakfast.  I don't know how many I buttered, but I know it was a lot.  She had a six slice toaster, I think, and there seemed to be a lot of people there that morning.

Better yet, when Grandma E would make fry bread.  Have that with butter and honey, oh, it was just awesome...

Helping Dad put in fence posts.  I was old enough to move the truck forward, he would have the big hammer (a pipe with a length of log on the end), and  he would smack the fence post in with maybe one or two strokes, then tell me to move forward...

Helping Mom with Thanksgiving dinners, getting all the dishes, and spoons, and forks all in the right places, so we had something to serve with when things came to the table.

Helping Grandma M in the garden, as she would throw out ashes from the firebox, before she would go in and start the fire for the next day.  Then getting permission to go out in the woods, with the admonition that I was NOT to touch the Foxglove, or I could poison myself.  (She had this thing that Foxglove was the origin of Digitalis, and I guess thought I would have a heart attack?)

Grandma and Grandpa E's water in Portland, that would come out the color of milk, and then fade to clear, because of bubbles.

Grandma and Grandpa M's water, which was from the hill, and going out to put a screen so that it would not gather leaves to plug the water pipes... And then needing to paint the screen black, because the shiny screen would attract bears, who would mangle it, thinking it was a fish...

Picking over 140 quarts of tomatoes, because Dad didn't think we quite had enough in the container.  Mom did a LOT of canning that year! 

Feeding cows, feeding cats, feeding dogs, learning to drive a tractor, learning to fish. 

So, what kid memories do you have? 

R is for Racoons, rabbits, and... No, not happening...

My reputation as a country kid followed me when I went to college.  I suppose it was when I tried to raise corn on the window sill that it was cemented in that I liked nature.  (Or that I was a nutcase, but I like to think the other...)

This was a two-edged sword, as I was then the "expert" for any animals roaming about.  Especially those that managed to get in people's apartments.  We had a period of time when the landlord was working on people's bathrooms, thereby leaving holes that would lead outside.  At least if you were four footed.  Or not...

Also, quite a few folks, during the spring and summer, would leave the front door, or the back window open during the day.  This lead to my helping someone get a bird to leave... This one was pretty easy, had them turn off all the lights, then open door and window.  Then walk toward bird.  Bird took off, pooping as it went, which upset the person.  I shrugged, explaining, it's what birds do.  I found out she started telling others that I was some sort of  'animal expert'.

I went on to help someone remove: a cat, a couple rabbits, and one opposum.  (You'd be amazed what you can do with a cookie pan and a large blanket.)  A raccoon was a bit more tricky, we managed to do that by closing the door to the bathroom where it came up, and getting some stinky food, (cheese?  I don't remember, but it smelled...) and putting it by the vent nearest that bathroom.  Sure enough, about 10 or so minutes later, the furry bandit's nose was twitching 'round the corner.  After a nice lunch for the critter, we started blocking vents.

Thought we had blocked them all...

I was doing some homework, when there was a knock on my door.  A tiny lady that lived at the end apartment asked if I would help her with an animal in her tub.

Uh, sure...

We walked back to her apartment, one of the last ones to be repaired, and in the tub, nearly as long AS the tub, was a boa constrictor!  Please note, I am not afraid of snakes.  However, this critter was big, and I don't know how to handle large snakes.  I turned, and told her that this was a time to call the police.

I kid you not, she looked at me like I was nuts, and said, it's a snake, not a burglar.  Nonplussed, I replied, yes, but the police know who to contact for animal control.

Oh...

It was rather a good thing we did call the police, as someone a few houses away had called that their pet snake had wandered off while sunbathing.  (!!!)  So, I waited with the lady, who WAS afraid of snakes, and didn't want to be alone, if it got out.  We waited by her front door, until the police, and animal control arrived, soon to be followed by the owner.  This parade went in, the owner came out with said animal.

That's when I decided to tell the landlord I was going to start charging him for animal removal if he didn't get all the holes plugged up in the apartments!