Hunting for Huckleberries (a Lesson in Motherhood)

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Moving out to the country has been quite an adjustment for me in many ways. I hadn't really thought about how much easier it was to get out and exercise on my own or with just Little Owl and myself when we lived in the city. Before, when we were in town I could just walk to the park or ride the bus to the library. Now, if I want to go out I have to 1) make sure we aren't going out at a time when cougars are potentially around (yes, I am being serious...) 2) feel comfortable in a strange place. 

It took me a while to feel comfortable going out on the country roads or go hiking with just the girl and I. But, seeing as this is my new home and I can't live a sedentary life. (I NEED to get out and move or I will go crazy.) So... I decided to go on a hike with her and hunt for some huckleberries. Recently, Brian bought me this book (Highly recommend it. Buy it here.). I had already been enjoying harvesting wild greens, so why not huckleberries....?

Little Owl had been getting her molars in so life had been a bit rough for both of us.... I thought some fresh air would do us both good. 

I was wrong. 

We drove down the road a little ways to where the trail started. She was fine in the car but as soon as I put her in our Ergo she started freaking out. 

Anyone who had heard us would have thought I was torturing her. She was NOT having it. I tried bouncing her, talking to her, being quiet to see if she would sleep. NOTHING. She was PISSED. I kept trying to pretend I was enjoying myself picking huckleberries... definitely wasn't what I had imagined when I read about huckleberry hunting in Northwest Foraging...

I gave up on the idea of huckleberry hunting and just wanted her to fall asleep. So I just started walking. Finally, about twenty minutes into our hike... she fell asleep. Needless to say, I was a much happier camper. 

I was finally enjoying my walk, breathing in the crisp mountain air and listening to the sound of the stream as it ran through the forest. I decided that since she was asleep maybe I could stop to get more huckleberries since I had hardly harvested any when she was fussing. 

My bad.

I stopped to pick ONE huckleberry. ONE. And she woke up. As mad as ever. 

Again, you would have thought I was torturing her. (Check out that fat tear.) Poor baby. Neither of us were enjoying ourselves. I was about a half hour from our car and decided the only thing to do was to turn back. She just wasn't having it. 

I unbuckled her form her Ergo and decided to carry her in my arms. 

And... voila! No more mad baby. I ended up using our Ergo to carry the container of huckleberries.... Oh, irony. Oh well. Guess I can attempt hunting for huckleberries again another day... 

In the end by the time I got back to the car I had about two tablespoons worth of huckleberries and two very sore arms...

We all have our "lessons in parenthood"... what's one of yours? Share it with me. I'd love to hear it.