Millions of Strawberries

Marcia and I went over the curve,

Eating our way down

Jewels of strawberries we didn't deserve

Eating our way down.

Till our hands were sticky, and our lips painted,

And over us the hot day fainted,

And we saw snakes,

And got scratched,

And a lust overcame us for the red unmatched

Small buds of berries,

Till we lay down--

Eating our way down--

And rolled in the berries like two little dogs,

Rolled

In the late gold.

And gnats hummed,

And it was cold,

And home we went, home without a berry,

Painted red and brown,

Eating our way down.

~Genevieve Taggard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I must look like a "bag woman" on Sunday mornings when I leave for church. There is so much stuff to bring with me!

Bible. Check .

Book to share with my friend. Check.

Fishy crackers for the toddler class. Check.

Sign up sheet for the ladies' luncheon. Check.

Gift bag for baby shower following the service. Check.

One electric guitar and amplifier. Check.

Four Children. Check.

I FORGOT THE STRAWBERRIES!!!

Not just any box of strawberries, either; this one was a super-sized, huge box of the precious jewels, meant for the baby shower luncheon. There was no need to worry; food abounded and the berries were not missed.

Fast forward to Monday afternoon. My daughter Artiste and I are spending a rare afternoon alone. She asks sweetly, "Shall we have some strawberries, Mom?"

Well, why not?

She put a couple on her plate, and a couple on mine. mmmmmmmmmmmmm..........

Pretty soon, our hands were sticky and our lips painted. We went back for more.

And more.

And more.

Lust overcame us for those jewels we didn't deserve, and we very much resembled those 2 little dogs rolling in the strawberry patch!

I will never forget the strawberry day we shared together, or the satisfied "smack" that Artiste emitted when she could consume no more. It is one of those snapshots a mother keeps inside her heart to remember on a rainy day.